FEASIBILITY STUDY OF ON-SITE FLAME HARDENING OF RAIL

The results of a preliminary analytical study indicate that it is feasible to flame harden or stress relieve railroad tracks in the field by towing a heat source, consisting of an array of fuel gas torches, along the track at constant speed. The study indicates that it is desirable to use as long a heat source as is practical. This permits the use of high source speeds (thereby minimizing the time required to process a given length of rail) without producing excessive hot spot temperatures on the rail, and without requiring inordinately high heat fluxes. For flame hardening, a source having a length of 40 ft. (12 m) may be towed at a speed in excess of 25 fpm (0.13 m/s). The heat flux required is approximately 400,000 Btu/hr-sq ft. (1260 kw/sq m), which is well within the capabilities of fuel gas (acetylene, propane, etc.) flames. For stress relieving, the time "at temperature" is significantly longer than for flame hardening; hence, the source speeds are lower. A 40-ft (12-m) source may be towed at 4 fpm (0.02 m/s); the heat flux required is approximately 90,000 Btu/hr sq ft. (280 kw/sq m).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contributed by the Rail Transportation Division of ASME for presentation at the IEEE-ASME Joint Railroad Conference, St. Paul, Minnesota, April 11-13, 1978.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Hollworth, B R
  • Steele, R K
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buckling; Maintenance of way; Metal hardening; Metal heating; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Stress relieving; Stresses; Welded rail
• Uncontrolled Terms: Heat treatment
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail hardening; Rail stress; Track maintenance equipment
• Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00173780
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: 78-RT-8 Conf Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 26 1978 12:00AM