Help Cutting Train Track!

[trackwelder]

Well I can give you a liitle advice on cutting through that rail. If you can cut with a torch that would be the way to go. Set your piece of rail on a clear dirt location and dig a small hole under the location you want to cut through. Start with the head of the rail and burn straight across the top of it holding your torch steady as you can. Then scrape the dross from the web of the rail and cut through the web from below the head to the top of the base. Clean the dross from the base and start on the outside of the base and cut towards the center, repeat on the other side. Then take a 7/9" grinder and smooth it off.

We have gas powered cutoff saws and I can cut through the rail faster with a torch.

We have been so busy at work I just got time to get a new computer. My last one crapped out over six months ago. I have a ton of catch up reading here.

 

[AZAV8]

You could also use thermite .

No, no, no. You use thermite to weld two pieces together!

Phil

 

[R6 Racer]

Thanks trackwelder... sounds like the voice of experience!
Do you mind if I P.M. you when I run into more questions? Or is it better to do that in here?

This site rocks... Ask a question... Get a pro giving you the answer!
Gotta Luv IT

Thanks
Steve

 

[trackwelder]

Feel free to PM or ask here.

 

[Nitroneal]

I use a Stanley rail saw and feed it with 3,000 psi hydraulics off the back of the truck.
BTW way I work for BNSF.

 

[trackwelder]

I use a Stanley rail saw and feed it with 3,000 psi hydraulics off the back of the truck.
BTW way I work for BNSF.

I've used most of whats available but the Matwelds hydraulic ones are my favorite.

 

[Davefr]

Here's how I cut my train tracks:

 

[arkangel06]

Did you torch it yet???

 

[Kevin54]

WOW, thanks for all the help!

tylerae40 Can you tell me how to tell the old cast verses the newer high tensile stuff ?

kf4zht Sorry for my ignorance, whats a 6 / 7" tip?
I have had the same cutting tip for 35 years, used it on everything.

danski0224 NO! mooseknuckle picture!

toymn6366 I might make up a couple of those anvils to sell & recoup some of my costs, any idea what there worth?

Stuey Sorry don't know any.

If all goes as planed & I pick it up on Wed. I will post a couple pics of what I have then. If not I will post them as soon as I get it home.

Thanks guys!
Steve

Check this for some rail info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_tracks

 

[tylerae40]

WOW, thanks for all the help!
tylerae40 Can you tell me how to tell the old cast verses the newer high tensile stuff ?
Thanks guys!
Steve

The cast stuff looks like cast metal- rough in texture with pit marks- not to be confused with rust pits- they may of only had it in aus, i dunno, i only found out they made them in cast when hammering a piece into the ground for a fence post and it crumbled into bits. I tried to cut it with an oxy and sure enough it was cast, or a form of cast steel.
Most track now days is the high tensile stuff, you can cut either with a grinder. hope this helps

 

[snapmom]

 

[z28snksknr]

OK.... where can I buy a foot of rail?

 

[Davefr]

OK.... where can I buy a foot of rail?

Just go to where train tracks are being replaced and ask the crew if you can have some scrap. I've done that and they were happy to give me a couple chunks.

The challenge is finding small pieces. After a foot or two this stuff get's way too heavy.

However it sure makes for a great anvil.

 

[kruegdr]

Trackwelder and nitroneal have it on the money.

There's a reason they make specialty saws for rail -- the other stuff just didnt work. Never underestimate someone who knows what they're doing with a torch, either.

Rail has changed a LOT in 100 years. 90 lb/yd Open-hearth rail is like butter compared to the 141 and 136 lb/yd head hardened uber-rail nowadays.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Ummm...Up here Moose Knuckle is reserved for describing the male bulge in a Speedo not female.

and we wonder why somethings in Canada are so opposite as compared to the USA....we think of the fine female form and you guys think of male's buldges

Note to self, Canada is where the sausagefest is, more the reason to stay here.

TheGrooveking

 

[R6 Racer]

Yep You just stay there oll grouved one... We will take care of all the wounderfull Miss Canada look a likes!

arkangel06 Havent got into it yet. Picking it up this weekend, will try a torch or that bandsaw on Monday.
I will try to do a vid of what happens...pics at least

Steve

 

[AZAV8]

Trackwelder and nitroneal have it on the money.

There's a reason they make specialty saws for rail -- the other stuff just didnt work. Never underestimate someone who knows what they're doing with a torch, either.

Rail has changed a LOT in 100 years. 90 lb/yd Open-hearth rail is like butter compared to the 141 and 136 lb/yd head hardened uber-rail nowadays.

The railroads have had to go to hardened head heavy rail to reduce the maintenance and rail replacement from wear on the systems. Its all about keeping costs down, the bottom line and cash flow. Think of how much rail has to be replaced in a 10,000 mile system and how much that costs. Have you priced steel lately? To those guys who posted who work on the systems, THANKS for your hard work.

Phil

 

[danski0224]

I do believe that if you post that photo, I would have to lead a movement to have you perma-banned.

You must know which one it is...

 

[ket-tek]

very nice...

 

[Kevin54]

Using a cutoff saw it looks like it's tough going

 

[54FordPanel]

First off: holy *********...
Second off: Torch it and just take it slow preheat the bottom side and you should have no problem.

+1. Is that bikini bottom painted on?

Second: What's the subject?

 

[coldfusion21]

I use a Stanley rail saw and feed it with 3,000 psi hydraulics off the back of the truck.
BTW way I work for BNSF.

I made those (well, made parts of them) for a couple months. Stanley builds all of the hand held hydraulics locally. Crazy simple things really. Good company though.

 

[Underdog]

This should work.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...8gbJmJDSAQ&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0

 

[v7guy]

wow, that is painful to see. i would love to get just 6 ft at most... to think it's all being "sent away".

 

[willy3486]

That is not *********, let's put this into proper perspective. She is from Canada, that is moose knuckle my friends, moose knuckle.

TheGrooveking

Bud thats not moosekuckle, I saw a mooseknucke once . I walked through the house one time my wife was watching the Rosie Odonell show. Rosie was in a swimsuit and I just about passed out. I shot the TV after that. Anyway I really like the idea of using a railroad rail and have wanted to find one for years. My father in law had a prybar made from some rebar from a big bridge construction project. It was the best prybar I have ever used. The tools made from stuff like that are really great. A lot of that old railroad rails is being reused as fence posts. They reheat the iron,streech it and form it into the t posts for fenceing.

 

[GTVi]

First of all....I just climaxed unintentionally !
Secondly, in Aus, we call the male version a "Budgie Smuggler"
Thirdly, I have a piece of 12 inch rail that I use an an Anvil, no need to modify it, works well, and just the right size for portability. It may be easier to source an offcut the size you want from the rail yards.

 

[Hiball]

First of all....I just climaxed unintentionally !
Secondly, in Aus, we call the male version a "Budgie Smuggler"
Thirdly, I have a piece of 12 inch rail that I use an an Anvil, no need to modify it, works well, and just the right size for portability. It may be easier to source an offcut the size you want from the rail yards.

I would definitely secure the proper paperwork/Permission or i suggest not getting caught walking off with a piece of rail. We had some geniuses stealing Code line for the Copper, There was supposedly $100 bucks of Copper between the posts. They then decided it would be a brilliant idea to take it to a local Salavage yard to sell..... What they didnt know was after 9/11 tampering with the signals was a "act of terrorism" And when they cut the code line all signal control was lost and everthing went RED and we had all our trains running on Restricting Blocks for like 50 miles.

 

[trackwelder]

We have had guys climb the pole lines and cut the live copper service feeds going to an interlocking.

 

[Hiball]

We have had guys climb the pole lines and cut the live copper service feeds going to an interlocking.

I dont know how the code lines work but from what i was told only 1 is Hot and these guys would someone short the Hot one by throwing a Heavy gauge Rope and hooking it to a ATV then drag the dead lines out into a field where they would cut them up and load them up. After running like 25 miles on Restricting signals running soley on battery, The maintainer finally showed up and figured out what was going on. The dispatcher was asking all trains to be on the lookout for any trespassers or suspicious activities.... They got what they had coming to them in the end.

 

[trackwelder]

Most of the code lines that are live are 480 volt. Nothing I would mess with.

 

[sarel.wagner]

Cutting a few dollies and an anvil from some track

Slowwww going, took about an hour and 15 min to cut but that was expected.

Rgrds

 

[madjack]

The late, great Pat Foster
If it was good enough for him, it should be good enough for the rest of us.

 

[Brad54]

Cutting a few dollies and an anvil from some track

Slowwww going, took about an hour and 15 min to cut but that was expected.

Rgrds

Did you find cutting through the rail one direction or the other any quicker?

Also, it's interesting to note that in your pic of foster, he's using the flat underside of the rail as his anvil, not the rounded top side.

-Brad

 

[Jay H 237]

Well I can give you a liitle advice on cutting through that rail. If you can cut with a torch that would be the way to go. Set your piece of rail on a clear dirt location and dig a small hole under the location you want to cut through. Start with the head of the rail and burn straight across the top of it holding your torch steady as you can. Then scrape the dross from the web of the rail and cut through the web from below the head to the top of the base. Clean the dross from the base and start on the outside of the base and cut towards the center, repeat on the other side. Then take a 7/9" grinder and smooth it off.

We have gas powered cutoff saws and I can cut through the rail faster with a torch.

I thought torch cut rail was a federal defect? Or is it just if it's not cleaned up afterwards with a grinder and the ends left rough?

 

[Az Scooter]

I'm thinking this might be the time to pick up one of these...

Think it will do the job?

Go to the local DeWalt or Milwuakee repair shop. They often get stuff in for repair that s abandoned. They usually sell it for what the repairs were. I picked up a total rebuild for under $200, with tax