CAUSES OF SHELLY SPOTS AND HEAD CHECKS IN RAIL METHODS FOR THEIR PREVENTION

Continuing investigations confirmed that heat-treated or alloy rails were effective in extending the service interval before gage corner shelling occurs in track. A description and summary of eight test installations of heat-treated and alloy rails in areas of high shelling was presented. Appendix 8-a presented the progress of shelly rail studies. Rolling-load tests of high-silicon rails and one chrome-vanadium rail were performed. Shelly rail failures from service were examined and rolling-load tests to produce detail fractures in the laboratory were performed. Detail fractures from shelling in European rails were discussed. High-silicon rails gave rolling-load tests 50 to 100 percent better than standard carbon-steel rails before developing shelling failures. Three tests of a chrome-vanadium alloy rail gave two tests over 5,000,000 cycles and one test of 1,846,000 cycles. Rolling-load tests of high-silicon rails to develop detail fractures from shelling produce failures similar to those produced in track.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Publication Date: 1956

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 830-857
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 57
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloy steel; Heat treated rail; High strength steel; Load tests; Rail (Railroads); Rail steel; Shelling (Metals)
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail metallurgy; Rail shelling
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052403
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 15 1976 12:00AM