Train track ---> ANVIL !!!

[Buzzard217]

I saw in the "show me your anvil" thread a couple of anvils made from train track. I managed get my hands on 2 pieces of track to try this out. I figured I'm broke, love to do projects like this, and it would only cost me the consumables required.

Is that some sort of ground strap? Think It'll grind right off?

The larger of the 2 is 24.75" and the smaller, 20.5". I though I'd shape the smaller one up a bit and mount it to something, maybe a railroad tie. Question is, will I be able to drill holes (4) for mounting with a 1/2 drill? Of course using a cutting oil of sorts.

Is there any shape I should go for/avoid with this? I dont really have an intended use at this time.


AND... I'm sure that the larger piece here will need a new home. If anyone is in the Chattanooga, TN area is welcome too it.

 

[VegasBruce]

You can drill through it without much trouble. I drilled mine in a drill press, pretty easily. Then built a stand out of scrap steel.

 

[BJ42LX]

You can drill through it without much trouble. I drilled mine in a drill press, pretty easily. Then built a stand out of scrap steel.

Bruce, if you have that kind/quality of "scrap" steel hanging around. Well, I'm impressed. I like the flywheel as the base. I may use that idea as the base for my grinder stand. Though the other parts won't be "scrap" steel!

 

[OccupantRJ]

Here's one I torched out when I was about 20 or so. It's been underwater, and is getting a repaint when I can get to it.

 

[VegasBruce]

Bruce, if you have that kind/quality of "scrap" steel hanging around. Well, I'm impressed. I like the flywheel as the base. I may use that idea as the base for my grinder stand. Though the other parts won't be "scrap" steel!

Thanks, but yeah it was an old flywheel and a piece of 2x5 tube. The gussets were a 1/4" thick ring that I couldn't bear tossing out I knew it would be good for something. I also made a piece to slip on the track to hold a shot bag.

 

[VegasBruce]

Here's one I torched out when I was about 20 or so. It's been underwater, and is getting a repaint when I can get to it.

It looks good, I haven't decided if I want to cut mine off or not.

 

[reinhardt]

are you cutting this with an oxy-acetylene torch? just got a torch and wouldn't mind carving a piece of rail myself.

ben

 

[spongerich]

I like the section with the big holes in it... those could come in handy for bending something that doesn't want to be bent.

I have a small piece of track I'm using and it works great.

Rather than try to paint it to fend off rust, I lightly coated it in oil and baked it in my shop oven for a 3-4 of hours at about 250, wiping it down and re-oiling every hour or so.

It smoked like hell, but now it's got a nice dark finish (like a cast iron frying pan) and not a spot of rust.

 

[Buzzard217]

are you cutting this with an oxy-acetylene torch? just got a torch and wouldn't mind carving a piece of rail myself.

ben

that's what these had been cut with. I however did not to the cutting. These were 2 pieces of scrap I just picked up.


Spongerich, good idea on the baking and oiling. Dont think I can make that happen. No shop oven and I don't think the racks would hold it anyways. And the piece with the holes is the one i'm cleaning up to use.

 

[CreekRat]

Is that some sort of ground strap? Think It'll grind right off?

That would most likely be part of the signaling system.

Ever wonder what sets off the signal at a crossing? It's just a giant circuit. When there isn't a train the circuit is broken, when the car is on that section the axle makes the connection between the two rails and the signal is tripped.

Same system is used for other types of non-crossing car tracking but the principle is the same.


As far as drilling holes in it; from my experience what you'll need to do is get a PO for a rail drill at about $5,000, make your holes, then leave the drill back of your truck for a month or two at which time it will be
1) broken - 2)stolen - 3) what rail drill?
Then repeat process..

 

[sarel.wagner]

Here is what I did:
Cutting a few pieces Some small dollies, and a short anvil piece.


Rgrds

 

[nissan_crawler]

are you cutting this with an oxy-acetylene torch? just got a torch and wouldn't mind carving a piece of rail myself.

ben

I used my 14" dry cut saw.

 

[Boost Creep]

where do you go about getting a section of railroad track?

 

[lilredex]

Look for railway maintence yards (watch for piles of old ties), and go in the back door. They always have short pieces hanging around. Or if you have any street cars near by, they are always doing track maintence and have similar pieces.

Pic. is a store of street car rails ready for installation in Toronto.

I got a piece of rail, in a house I had............PO left it behind.

You could also ask Tatra.......maybe he could put one in a really big flat rate box, for you.

 

[lilredex]

That would most likely be part of the signaling system.

Ever wonder what sets off the signal at a crossing? It's just a giant circuit. When there isn't a train the circuit is broken, when the car is on that section the axle makes the connection between the two rails and the signal is tripped.

.

Makes sense, often wondered how they did that. Thanks for the insight.

Guess kids playing on the track could also do that, if they found the right spot. Would be almost as much fun as putting a purse on the sidewalk attached to a string, or pushing a few photocopied $100 bills into the wind.

 

[Buzzard217]

Look for railway maintence yards (watch for piles of old ties), and go in the back door. They always have short pieces hanging around. Or if you have any street cars near by, they are always doing track maintence and have similar pieces.

I called my local Norfolk Southern and after being transfered 4 times ended up talking to the maintenance yard guy. Once he figured out that I wasnt a crackhead wanting to sell it for scap he told me to take what I wanted.

 

[VegasBruce]

Mine was given to me by a neighbor, who's father is retired RR maintenance.

 

[Brad54]

I've got a one-foot section I use as an anvil... didn't do any other modifications or shaping to it.
As for cleaning it and rust prevention, I took a twisted wire cup on my right angle grinder and stripped all the rust off, and burnished the top surface as well.
For the sides, I painted it with Rustoleum "Hard Hat" or high performance red. It's been well over 10 years, including 7 in humid Florida, and shows no signs of rusting, including the top surface.

-Brad

 

[PCO6]

where do you go about getting a section of railroad track?

I stumbled across the 2 peices that I have. My Dad found a 40" peice of what I think is some kind of trolley track. He told me he found it when he was out for a walk. It was partially buried in a vacant lot. He dug it out and brought it home because he figured I could use it. He was 82 at the time! The photo below shows it next to my anvil. Another photo shows my anvil with a $20 bill for scale. The rail is about 2/3's the size of regular railway track. It's great for hammering out long welds on sheet metal.

I got a second short peice from a fellow who threw it in with a vice I bought from him. He was a retired CNR employee. He said they would scrap "tons" of cut off peices.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

where do you go about getting a section of railroad track?

I called my local Norfolk Southern and after being transfered 4 times ended up talking to the maintenance yard guy. Once he figured out that I wasnt a crackhead wanting to sell it for scap he told me to take what I wanted.

It's simple, you get a section from a fellow garage journal member. Many thanks to Buzzard217 for the 2 foot section sitting in my garage right now. Even better, I got to meet a fellow member from here...

 

[Buzzard217]

It's simple, you get a section from a fellow garage journal member. Many thanks to Buzzard217 for the 2 foot section sitting in my garage right now. Even better, I got to meet a fellow member from here...

No problem at all. Like you said, nice to meet a fellow member of the forum.

 

[LIVELY]

THAT was nice guys--it is nice to meet others on here

 

[toymn6366]

If any one in georgia or close by wants a piece of rr i'm having a rail replaced in a week or so let me now

 

[MalibuLX3]

If any one in georgia or close by wants a piece of rr i'm having a rail replaced in a week or so let me now

Do you have your own personal rail road or something?

 

[toymn6366]

Do you have your own personal rail road or something?

I'm a feedmill manager corn and grain comes into the mill in railcars and all of the track from the mainline in is the mills so i have to keep it maintained.One of the joints has started to open up above the unloading pit the rail is belled out and going to have to be replaced.
You are joking but there is private railroads got a friend that owns a shortline railroad and makes money switching cars to business along his tracks.

 

[danski0224]

Here's some Track...

Easy pickings

 

[Brad54]

I'm a feedmill manager corn and grain comes into the mill in railcars and all of the track from the mainline in is the mills so i have to keep it maintained.One of the joints has started to open up above the unloading pit the rail is belled out and going to have to be replaced.
You are joking but there is private railroads got a friend that owns a shortline railroad and makes money switching cars to business along his tracks.

Where in Georgia? I have a friend who is VERY interested in getting a 1-foot hunk. Actually, two friends.

And now that I think about it, I wouldn't mind having a couple feet myself!

We're in Jefferson/Winder, but would make a reasonable drive for some rail.

-Brad

 

[MalibuLX3]

I'm a feedmill manager corn and grain comes into the mill in railcars and all of the track from the mainline in is the mills so i have to keep it maintained.One of the joints has started to open up above the unloading pit the rail is belled out and going to have to be replaced.
You are joking but there is private railroads got a friend that owns a shortline railroad and makes money switching cars to business along his tracks.

That's awesome!

 

[-->]

I'm a feedmill manager corn and grain comes into the mill in railcars and all of the track from the mainline in is the mills so i have to keep it maintained.One of the joints has started to open up above the unloading pit the rail is belled out and going to have to be replaced.
You are joking but there is private railroads got a friend that owns a shortline railroad and makes money switching cars to business along his tracks.

How the hell does somebody get into that?

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

How the hell does somebody get into that?

It's not as hard as you might imagine. I have a customer near Omaha that has their own yarder engine and tracks into their plant. They can load the rail cars and shuttle them to the main tracks with their own engine.

All it takes is cash...

 

[steel 35]

Here is a piece I made about 25 years ago, been missing for a while.

 

[VegasBruce]

Here is a piece I made about 25 years ago, been missing for a while.

Nice

 

[Kevin54]

I have a short piece that I use as a doorstop. I know a guy that works for maintenance on the RR so I may ask him to grab me a piece of rail and make a bench anvil. I used to have a 8' piece that I used to use to drag a gravel driveway. I put some eyebolts in it, two chains and hooked it to my 4wd. It did a heck of a job leveling the humps in the drive out.

 

[nonhog]

Look for yards that sell Rail Road ties that where I get mine. Cheap too.

Mine are still as found but when the time is right I'll shape them a bit.
Somehow?

Some great ideas here.....http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/anvils/making/RR-rail_anvils.php

 

[jwitt]

Pretty sure that this one was made out of track. Whoever built it did a nice job. Not sure why it was painted pink but thats the way I found it at the Flea Market. For five bucks, who cares.

Jim

 

[jamesemery728]

I did not make this one but bought it at a swap meet a few years ago. It is a handy small one that someone did a nice job of making. Not sure what size RR track it was made from, but obviously was not a full size track. Scale in the picture is a 6" one for reference.

 

[kruegdr]

James, that rail you have there looks somewhere around 50 lb/yd and might even be crane rail. I haven't seen anything that short in a long time. The design looks good though. What do you think that one weighs?

I've got some 136 lb/yd in the garage that I'm debating on what to do with. That anvilfire website certainly does have some good ideas, but I'm going to try and think a bit more outside the box.

 

[5lima30]

I really like your stand! The color looks like Oliver "tractor green".

 

[jamesemery728]

James, that rail you have there looks somewhere around 50 lb/yd and might even be crane rail. I haven't seen anything that short in a long time. The design looks good though. What do you think that one weighs?

I've got some 136 lb/yd in the garage that I'm debating on what to do with. That anvilfire website certainly does have some good ideas, but I'm going to try and think a bit more outside the box.

Weighs about 6 lbs and is 3-1/2" high X 9" long. Never was quite sure what it was made from but it has nice lines and is a handy little ******.

 

[VegasBruce]

I really like your stand! The color looks like Oliver "tractor green".

Thanks, its just Hunter Green Rustoleum.