Railroad rails.

[henrybuchanan]

After seeing the pictures, I would just use a 2' or bigger culvert pipe. If you get 3'-4' of dirt on top of it it will handle a good load. They make a very thick wall plastic pipe that would work. Always go bigger than you think you need with culvert pipe. Take into account the max water that could pass through the gulley.

 

[PhysAssist]

I have several pieces stored in the back. I never pass up a piece of rail. I have a friend that works for the RR. Some I have cut for ballast on top of my box blade, disk, and as a drag behind the tractor. I have some pieces cut to 12 and 18 inches long in my workshop for hammering. There's no way I would take any rail to a scrap yard for money. To me it's worth much more than that. Too many things you can do with it. It also makes great entrance posts cemented in with heavy cable and a lock in between. I guarantee you won't knock over RR gate posts cemented in deep without tearing up your vehicle.

Sorry for this semi-thread jack, but given all the posts about rails being work hardened and slag filled, I gotta ask:

How do YOU cut it?

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[Gale Hawkins]

One I got for a disk drag was chewed on my a gas cutting torch by the way it looked. I think the one we had as a cut was cut by hack saw.

 

[muddstopper]

Sorry for this semi-thread jack, but given all the posts about rails being work hardened and slag filled, I gotta ask:

How do YOU cut it?

Thanks, Thomas

Most everybody that plans on re-using the rail will cut it with an abrasive cutoff saw. Cant run torch cut rails on mainline track. We used to have the old mechanical hacksaws for cutting the rail, but I havent seen one of those for years, at least not one that was being used.

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

I plan to cut it with a power hacksaw. I've done it before to a small 16 inch piece someone gave me. I made a small anvil out of it. These are about 24 feet long. 3 pieces and very rusty.

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

After seeing the pictures, I would just use a 2' or bigger culvert pipe. If you get 3'-4' of dirt on top of it it will handle a good load. They make a very thick wall plastic pipe that would work. Always go bigger than you think you need with culvert pipe. Take into account the max water that could pass through the gulley.

There had been a 3 foot culvert pipe there about 3 years ago. It got washed out during a major thunderstorm. It normally is a dry creek but during storms, every storm drain along our road feeds into that gulley.

 

[henrybuchanan]

The best way to cut railroad rail is with an angle grinder or circular saw. Use the black metal cutting blades - the thinner the better. Cut half way through the rail, turn it over, and smack it with a sledge hammer. More often than not the rail will break the rest of the way through. I had to remove 12 60' sections from a piece of property I purchased a few years back. I used this method to cut them into 16' sections.

 

[Redbug]

The best way to cut railroad rail is with an angle grinder or circular saw. Use the black metal cutting blades - the thinner the better. Cut half way through the rail, turn it over, and smack it with a sledge hammer. More often than not the rail will break the rest of the way through. I had to remove 12 60' sections from a piece of property I purchased a few years back. I used this method to cut them into 16' sections.

I did not know that. What side do you make the cut? The top portion, and hit it on the bottom?

I have one of those circular metal cutting skil saws and make cuts all around. Your way sounds much easier. Not as much rolling the rail around.

 

[muddstopper]

Well, if you insist on cutting with a angle grinder or circular saw, and your not really worried about your safety, at least keep every one else out of the way. Not trying to be the safety police here, but after 37 years of working for the railroad, I have seen plenty of stupid stuff. Lots of limbs cutoff, dead and crippled. Can you cut the rail with a angle grinder and abrasive blade, sure you can, but without a proper guard and just a little bit of binding, you can cut your hand off just as easy. Play it safe, beg borrow or steal a oxy/act setup. If the torch you borrow doesnt have a big enoung tip to cut thru the rail, just cut thru the ball, (top of the rail) and wack it good with a sledge and it will probably break the rest of the way thru. What ever you do, dont try to free hand cut rail with an angle grinder. The abrasive grinder the railroads use for cutting rail has a clamp on guide to keep the gas powerd or hydraulic powerd saw straight and steady. They can cut thru a 132lb rail in about over a minute. Your angle grinder wont have a guide, nor the power to cut thru the rail with any serious speed. You get tired, wobble the grinder a little bit, and its a trip to the hospital. Have i said this yet, Dont use a angle grinder to cut rail!!

 

[LD1]

It really wouldnt be any different than cutting any other odd shaped piece of metal with a grinder and slicer disc.

Just because its rail, dont make it any different. you have to be CAREFUL with a grinder no matter what you are cutting