found a railroad rail

Pooh_Bear · Nov 21, 2008

I cut one once with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch.
It took at least two hours to make one cut.
The steel wicks the heat away from the cut line
to fast to get it to burn away. 4 of us worked on it.
If I had to do another one I would set up a power hacksaw.
Just let it do its thing and check on it from time to time.

Pooh Bear

bigdad · Nov 21, 2008

The RR guys use large abrasive wheel saws to make cuts that will remain in the track. Of course they are made specially for RR service and have special clamps etc. When scrapping, they use Propane/Oxie torches.

mbohuntr · Nov 21, 2008

I don't know much about cutting it, but I never had much much luck welding it, way too much carbon, welds rip right out of it. Maybe someone in here knows a good way....

ronjhall · Nov 21, 2008

Needed a front weight for our Farmall 340. Previous owner of our place left a 6' section of RR rail. Cut it off with acetylene. No problem. But it did not look pretty. Welded angle iron for frame to bottom side of rail. That front bumper/weight is still on tractor 30 years later.

silverdollar6 · Nov 21, 2008

Did you happen to see a train around there?

kthompson · Nov 21, 2008

Pooh_Bear said:
I cut one once with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch.
It took at least two hours to make one cut.
The steel wicks the heat away from the cut line
to fast to get it to burn away. 4 of us worked on it.
If I had to do another one I would set up a power hacksaw.
Just let it do its thing and check on it from time to time.

Pooh Bear

No torch user but it sounds like you had too small a tip there. Have seen about same thickness cut at good speed with proper size tips.

Redbug · Nov 21, 2008

I have used a cutoff saw to cut rail. However...the blades will not reach all the way through the rail. I had to cut one side and then the other. Rail is heavy stuff, and there are different weights of rail. The standard main rail size weighs around 50 pounds per foot. 6 feet of it weighs around 300 pounds. I use a 6 foot piece on my box blade as extra ballast.

em14 · Nov 21, 2008

Once upon a time ... I made a large brush rake which we made foldable on a D-7's blade ... we used propane to cut it cause we had it and it took a very long time to make a cut. Welds were made using an old tombstone welder and it work well. This was large and heavy track .... The brush rake worked like a charm! The construction time was heavy on the cutting side ...
Leo

bigdad · Nov 21, 2008

Look on the side or web of the rail and somewhere you will see the maker ie: Bethlehem etc. the date and the weight...... 85, 90, 100, 110, 112, 115, 129, 132, 136 etc etc. Rail is weighed by the yard. Rail is butt welded together in the track either with Thermite or electrically. The welds are tested periodically electronically for flaws. Quite a process.

Redbug said:
I have used a cutoff saw to cut rail. However...the blades will not reach all the way through the rail. I had to cut one side and then the other. Rail is heavy stuff, and there are different weights of rail. The standard main rail size weighs around 50 pounds per foot. 6 feet of it weighs around 300 pounds. I use a 6 foot piece on my box blade as extra ballast.