railroad track

[Doug98105]

Not all railroad track is hard. One piece i've had for years is fairly soft, no problem milling/drilling it.

A blacksmith told me there're different hardnesses in track, whether it's used on the mainline or in the switching yards, but I don't remember which is which.

Doug

[abonecoupe31]

I found a few feet of narrow guage track in Grand Rapids, MI at Central Iron and Metal...I bought two pieces for dollys. Had them zip cut off tow pieces for me....One is 4" and the other is 12"..figured it would come in handy some day.

[gator 1]

I had about a 3 foot section and cut it up on my jet bandsaw. I cut a 12 inch and 2 8 inch and 2 4 inch pieces. If you have some be sure to cut a 4 inch piece. When your sitting inside a car doing metal dash work or consoles th 4 inch piece fits right between you legs so you dont have to hold it and allows you to dolly metal without getting in and out all the time. Works great... .Gator

[rookie]

Hi Kerry. I'll have to echo John on this one, If you decide to cut it up, I'd buy a piece off of you.

Phil

[rsanter]

I knew someone who was a track welder at the railroad. something people do not know it that from summer to winter the long lenths of track will expand and contract. the maintence crews have to go out and take a 6 in to 12 in piece of track out every so often as the summer comes or the long runs of track will get waves in it. most maintence yards have these cutting sitting around in pleanty
got a couple of them from a former neighbor.
if I know they were valuable I could have had 10 or 20 with no second thought

bob

[seven]

As far as I am aware rails are made from manganese steel.
Again if I stretch my memory back to my college days the surface work hardens to martinsite.

The other day, while waiting for a delivery I had a go at making a hammer for use on dressing welds in aluminium sheet.
I cut and turned the hammer faces from rail and used mild steel for the remainder of the head.
One face is almost flat and the other is convex. The weight is 8oz.

Cheers,
Paul G

[mindover]

That is interesting, is there no issues with welding the track to mild steel? does the welding process anneal the metal from the track?

Nice looking hammer by the way.

David

[seven]

Originally Posted by mindover

That is interesting, is there no issues with welding the track to mild steel? does the welding process anneal the metal from the track?

Nice looking hammer by the way.

David

AFAIK it's a Low Alloy Steel so requires a gentle heating and cooling cycle.
i.e. no chilling effects such as you can get with MIG.
I think that LA Chrome steels require a little pre-heat.

I welded the hammer with TIG. A small first run, and with out stopping carried on round for a second time
to end up as a 3/16" fillet.


Rail lines are welded using steel filler, a mix of rusty steel chippings and aluminium (Google Thermit Welding)
but the ends are pre heated with a gas flame.

Time will tell with my hammer, but as it cost nothing I've nothing to lose.

Cheers,
Paul G