Railroad Track questions

LSU · Jan 25, 2012

I'm looking to acquire a one foot piece of railroad track.

Not sure that is the correct term but what I need is one foot of the steel rail a freight or passenger train runs on.

Year ago I had a piece of this and in some move, it got lost. I used it around my shop as an anvil and a brace and loved it.

Any thoughts or suggestions on where to find this stuff?

Also, if I find a piece that is too long, how does one cut this?

tcsalvage · Jan 25, 2012

if your in se pa i know a guy that has about 500 foot of it for sale. it is 90 lb rail in full length but a demo saw goes through it ok. if you are close to a historic railroad you could ask one of the guys maintaining it for a piece.

G_P · Jan 26, 2012

With all the track in this country you would think that finding old junked pieces would be simple but nobody ever wants to sell it.

Years ago there was a huge piece in a river near me that looked to have been there for 50 or more years and the flood that put it there damn near twisted it into a pretzel. Some guys actually got arrested for dragging it out of the 2ft deep river. Apparently being in posession of track sections here is a crime. Even if the track is pretty much tied in a knot and has holes rusted clear through it........

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

Unlawfully acquiring railroad track, tie plates, code line etc can be viewed as a act of terrorism.

uart · Jan 26, 2012

What sort of steel do they use for tracks anyway. It would have to be pretty tough wouldn't it. Is it a molybdenum steel or some other "low alloy" type?

uart · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Unlawfully acquiring railroad track, tie plates, code line etc can be viewed as a act of terrorism.

Ummm seriously?

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

uart said:
Ummm seriously?

Absolutely... I wouldn't want to be the guy riding around with railroad property in the back of there truck after a train derailment. Most scrap dealers around here won't touch railroad property without proper paperwork and report all incoming scrap to the proper authorities. A year or so ago, I had some signals drop on me, come to find out some donkeys where out stealing the copper code line. They then proceeded to try to sell it the next day... Bad move.... After 9/11 the government deemed these actions a "act of terrorism" seems harmless over a Internet forum I know but when your messing around with structure/signal systems that for railroads that carry passengers and tons of hazardous material daily it's no laughing matter. I recommend acquiring all the proper paperwork if your gonna have railroad property in your possession.

Hephaestus29 · Jan 26, 2012

Here in Indianapolis there is all kinds of rail that has been unused for a long time, around warehouses, old abandoned lines even old lines from trollies that used to run down the middle of washington street that they just paved over in fact you can still see the trolley tracks in the street because the pavement wont stay down on top of it. I looked into scrapping it but you have to have special written permission & thats if you can get it. If you do get permission I talked to the scrap yards & they wanted it cut up into sections so many feet long. I decided it wasn't worth my time.
There are lots of old warehouses around that don't have rail service anymore but some do. I have seen a lot of it just paved right over. Seems like you ought to be able to find a short piece if you looked long enough but it might be worth it to just by a good anvil & be done with it.

ZRX61 · Jan 26, 2012

I picked up a 17in piece of 136# track a couple of weeks back for $20

uart · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Absolutely... I wouldn't want to be the guy riding around with railroad property in the back of there truck after a train derailment. Most scrap dealers around here won't touch railroad property without proper paperwork and report all incoming scrap to the proper authorities. A year or so ago, I had some signals drop on me, come to find out some donkeys where out stealing the copper code line.

LOL I don't think anyone here was talking about stealing it from an operational line.

GRX · Jan 26, 2012

uart said:
What sort of steel do they use for tracks anyway. It would have to be pretty tough wouldn't it. Is it a molybdenum steel or some other "low alloy" type?

I know a couple guys who work for the railroad. From what I've been told it is medium carbon steel. Hard enough not to deform, but not too hard since it has to flex a bit.

Givl Reggin · Jan 26, 2012

We don't have railroads in these parts where I live today... but, where I grew up (and I grew up a long time ago!) there was a ghost town that a relative of mine owned with tons of abandoned rail and mining equipment on it. I took my fair share of it and to this day have many, many parts in my train room.. wish I would have taken more, because I'm sure it either just rusted away or was turned into scrap.

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

uart said:
LOL I don't think anyone here was talking about stealing it from an operational line.

Didn't say they was? But going around to old yards, industries looking for rail is obtaining unlawfully and I repeat I wouldn't want to be caught with it in the back of my truck. There was a time when you could aquire old ties, rail etc but with creosote being deemed a hazardous material railroads make obtaining these items difficult to the point were there gonna cover there ***.

And yes... I see people stealing **** all the time, not necessarily Gj members but scrap is pricey right now.

Lomotil · Jan 26, 2012

I've been (somewhat passively) searching for some track for a while now. The main hurdle, aside from finding it to begin with, is that if there's a small enough segment to be found, it's because someone cut it for the same purpose, and wants to charge anvil-like prices for it.

Anybody in the San Antonio area got a lead? I'd be happy to look into it...

Lomotil · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
...but with creosote being deemed a hazardous material...

****! I'd better cover my patio fireplace with palm leaves to avoid being spotted from the air... :thumbup:

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

Lomotil said:
****! I'd better cover my patio fireplace with palm leaves to avoid being spotted from the air...

Lol... Yep, the railroads (class1) are no longer able to purchase creosote railroad ties, when they have used up there current supply they are to start using concrete ties.

Lomotil · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Lol... Yep, the railroads (class1) are no longer able to purchase creosote railroad ties, when they have used up there current supply they are to start using concrete ties.

Damn. That's insane.

On a somewhat related note, last summer I went walking along a track nearby - Must've picked up a hundred pounds of railroad spikes that were scattered away from the track. I was thinking of making custom knives out of 'em, or using the nicer ones as pegs to hang tongs from around the BBQ - never thought I was potentially committing a crime.

Greatwhitewing · Jan 26, 2012

Don't limit to railroad shapes. Crane rail is usually much larger and higher load capacity.

RR is considered light duty often called light rail.

capswin · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Lol... Yep, the railroads (class1) are no longer able to purchase creosote railroad ties, when they have used up there current supply they are to start using concrete ties.

The train guys where I work tell me that concrete ties can only be used for passenger trains. Freight trains are too heavy. They get new creasote ties in here all of the time.

csmitty · Jan 26, 2012

I dragged a probably 10' section of 136# rail off my dads property that backs up to a track. I was going to cut a section to use and then scrap the rest, you can still see where they marked it to identify the defects and cut it out. So figured wouldn't be a problem. Then I read all the the hassles involved so haven't messed with it. It was actually poking out of the ground at an angle so figured it'd been there a while. My little Jeep had a fun time pulling it out. Figured it was the least they could do for setting fire to the property when they were grinding/welding one day.

Maybe I can think of something to do with it.

uart · Jan 26, 2012

csmitty said:
Maybe I can think of something to do with it.

The OPs small anvil idea sounds good. Maybe weld a few short sections together to make a bigger anvil.

gtrotter · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Lol... Yep, the railroads (class1) are no longer able to purchase creosote railroad ties, when they have used up there current supply they are to start using concrete ties.

Not true. I work for a Class 1 railroad as a conductor, and we still get new creosote treated ties in all of the time. In fact, I have serviced the plant where they make the railroad ties.

gtrotter · Jan 26, 2012

csmitty said:
I dragged a probably 10' section of 136# rail off my dads property that backs up to a track. I was going to cut a section to use and then scrap the rest, you can still see where they marked it to identify the defects and cut it out. So figured wouldn't be a problem. Then I read all the the hassles involved so haven't messed with it. It was actually poking out of the ground at an angle so figured it'd been there a while. My little Jeep had a fun time pulling it out. Figured it was the least they could do for setting fire to the property when they were grinding/welding one day.

Maybe I can think of something to do with it.

I would be careful doing that. Sometimes they "bury" the rail partially to prevent errosion, etc. Get caught doing that, and you are looking at serious jail time. Also, they have to leave rail laying around for awhile, so that it can "acclimate" to the area. Couple of years I believe, just to make sure there aren't any defects that may pop up.

slob · Jan 26, 2012

I work in a railyard and I can't even find a piece of rail.

Also, rail is made from high manganese steel so don't breathe while you're cutting it.

ishiboo · Jan 26, 2012

GRX said:
I know a couple guys who work for the railroad. From what I've been told it is medium carbon steel. Hard enough not to deform, but not too hard since it has to flex a bit.

As of yesterday, I know it flexes a LOT.

Apparently before I moved in here a year ago, they replaced a bunch of track and put the old pieces next to the track. The past few days, they have been working with an odd 8-car maintenance train. It has two guide rails on the top of 6 flat beds, and then the end cars are cabins. On the guide rails, a large hoe runs with a grapple.

Finally saw it in action yesterday - it picks up pieces of rail which are hundreds of feet long. The rail looks like a wet noodle when picked up, and it's so flexible they pick it up at one end and put it in the front car, and then slide backwards in the hoe and pick up the next part and put it in, until the whole rail is in.

Good side-by-side... this thing was neat:

csmitty · Jan 26, 2012

gtrotter said:
I would be careful doing that. Sometimes they "bury" the rail partially to prevent errosion, etc. Get caught doing that, and you are looking at serious jail time. Also, they have to leave rail laying around for awhile, so that it can "acclimate" to the area. Couple of years I believe, just to make sure there aren't any defects that may pop up.

Well this one was coming out around a 45deg angle. If it was for erosion it probably wasn't doing much. It was def. a discarded/cut out piece since the thermite, or whatever they use, setup, discarded insulation was scattered around. and the new piece was the same length as the old.

I don't go around looking for stuff like that. Just so happened was along the fence line and saw it and figured could make use of it. Based on my knowledge at the time and the obvious signs it was done rail figured it wouldn't be missed. Hell its still sitting within 50yds of where it was. If they really wanted to know where it was it wouldn't be hard to see and there's really only one property that backs up to it in that section. Was prob two years ago too. I don't bother to mess with that stuff now.

GRX · Jan 26, 2012

ishiboo said:
As of yesterday, I know it flexes a LOT.

Apparently before I moved in here a year ago, they replaced a bunch of track and put the old pieces next to the track. The past few days, they have been working with an odd 8-car maintenance train. It has two guide rails on the top of 6 flat beds, and then the end cars are cabins. On the guide rails, a large hoe runs with a grapple.

Finally saw it in action yesterday - it picks up pieces of rail which are hundreds of feet long. The rail looks like a wet noodle when picked up, and it's so flexible they pick it up at one end and put it in the front car, and then slide backwards in the hoe and pick up the next part and put it in, until the whole rail is in.

Good side-by-side... this thing was neat:

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. It's a far cry from the early cast iron rails which would curl up under stress forming those infamous "snakeheads" which caused so many deaths.

uart · Jan 26, 2012

csmitty said:
Well this one was coming out around a 45deg angle. If it was for erosion it probably wasn't doing much. It was def. a discarded/cut out piece since the thermite, or whatever they use, setup, discarded insulation was scattered around. and the new piece was the same length as the old.

I don't go around looking for stuff like that. Just so happened was along the fence line and saw it and figured could make use of it. Based on my knowledge at the time and the obvious signs it was done rail figured it wouldn't be missed. Hell its still sitting within 50yds of where it was. If they really wanted to know where it was it wouldn't be hard to see and there's really only one property that backs up to it in that section. Was prob two years ago too. I don't bother to mess with that stuff now.

If it was an old discarded section then I very much doubt anyone is missing it. Based on what others have said here though, just don't try to sell it for scrap.

Need4racin · Jan 26, 2012

gtrotter said:
I would be careful doing that. Sometimes they "bury" the rail partially to prevent errosion, etc. Get caught doing that, and you are looking at serious jail time. Also, they have to leave rail laying around for awhile, so that it can "acclimate" to the area. Couple of years I believe, just to make sure there aren't any defects that may pop up.

Grandma please. If it was up to some of you guys you'd have everyone sitting inside sucking their thumb where they are nice and safe. Quit living in fear.

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

capswin said:
The train guys where I work tell me that concrete ties can only be used for passenger trains. Freight trains are too heavy. They get new creasote ties in here all of the time.

Ive been hauling freight for over 15 years, rest assured they have been using concrete ties for quite awhile.

ekeller · Jan 26, 2012

Hiball said:
Lol... Yep, the railroads (class1) are no longer able to purchase creosote railroad ties, when they have used up there current supply they are to start using concrete ties.

Since when? The RR I work for still uses them all the time.

ekeller · Jan 26, 2012

capswin said:
The train guys where I work tell me that concrete ties can only be used for passenger trains. Freight trains are too heavy. They get new creasote ties in here all of the time.

Not true at all.

byoungblood · Jan 26, 2012

capswin said:
The train guys where I work tell me that concrete ties can only be used for passenger trains. Freight trains are too heavy. They get new creasote ties in here all of the time.

CSX mainline between Atlanta and Chattanooga is almost 100% concrete ties. They do require a better subgrade and ballast than wood ties because they won't flex, but crack if they are not properly supported. I guess one of the beancounters didn't believe the engineers on this particular CSX line because about 7-8 years ago they had to replace a rather large number of ties on the line due to cracks.

There may have been a particular railroad that is trying to cut down on using creasote ties, but I know of a couple of tie plants that are still running full steam right now.

Davefr · Jan 26, 2012

A few years ago I saw a crew of "Gandy Dancers" laying new track and asked them if they had any small scrap. They gave me about a 12" piece. I offered to trade them a case of beer but they wouldn't accept it.

They were a really nice group.

Maybe you could do the same. It's probably easier to do if it's a small regional RR vs. a main line.

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

gtrotter said:
Not true. I work for a Class 1 railroad as a conductor, and we still get new creosote treated ties in all of the time. In fact, I have serviced the plant where they make the railroad ties.

ekeller said:
Since when? The RR I work for still uses them all the time.

I got the privilege to work a tie train a couple years ago and was told by the track inspector that..."The EPA had banned the railroads from purchasing any more creosote covered ties, they could in fact still use any pre-purchased or already stock they had in supply". Occasionally I'll see (smell) a gon full of Creosote ties in the yard but the majority off track being laid secured by concrete ties of late. I never try and purposely lie to anyone here, so I will try and re-confirm..... Meanwhile just because you see some ties hit the ground doesn't mean theyre not pre-purchased or stock ties.

Davefr · Jan 26, 2012

A few years ago I saw a crew of "Gandy Dancers" laying new track and asked them if they had any small scrap. They gave me about a 12" piece. I offered to trade them a case of beer but they wouldn't accept it.

They were a really nice group.

Maybe you could do the same. It's probably easier to do if it's a small regional RR vs. a main line. These days you'd probably get arrested roaming around a major RR line.

Hiball · Jan 26, 2012

gtrotter said:
Also, they have to leave rail laying around for awhile, so that it can "acclimate" to the area. Couple of years I believe, just to make sure there aren't any defects that may pop up.

Ribbon rail is always expanding/contracting depending on weather conditions.. This why they ride the tracks for heat (wavy) and we get broken rail (pull apart) when you get crazy warm to cold swings or deep cold spells.

G_P · Jan 26, 2012

Seen a few railcars around here carrying composite ties. Looked like they were made similar to the Trex deck material.

Barry Tucker · Jan 26, 2012

The local steel plant makes rail. 240' lengths welded into 1600' lengths. I have seen mini mountains of scrap rail that didn't make the grade. I'm happy with this :

so I haven't attempted to get a new piece of rail. Regards Barry

64merc · Jan 26, 2012

I ran into a small piece at an estate sale a couple of years ago, but I thought they wanted too much for it (can't remember how much). I should have bought it, since I haven't seen anything since!

Railroad Track questions

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member