Fillet Welding Rail
Fillet Welding Rail
(OP)
Is it possible to fillet weld the base of a rail to a steel bearing/attachment plate? I know they have weldable Pandrol rhoulders, but can the rail be welded directly?
Dik
Dik
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RE: Fillet Welding Rail
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
I know from an earlier post that rail on normal ballast moves, but is it essential that it be able to move?
The loading on fillet welds can be kept to a pretty low stress level and I was more concerned about the metallurgy of the rail for welding. I know that for continuous rail the thermite process is used with a high preheat.
Dik
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
When the temperature changes, one of them will move.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
tstanley:
Thanks, I don't know about the metallurgy of rails or the manner of production or fabrication. I was concerned about it causing the rail to crack, but didn't realise it was as sensitive as you've noted. I knew for continuous welded rails that the thermitic process relies on a fairly high pre-heat. I didn't realise that rails were heat treated... makes sense... induction? Do they have to be treated after thermitic welding? Thanks again.
Dik
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
I don't know if the joint is heat treated after thermite welding, but the more modern flash butt welding is computer controlled to minimize the heat affected zone.
We have a few rail carts to move stuff around the shop and every time we weld on the rail for them, for one reason or another the rail breaks at the weld.
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
I will be using Pandrol weldable shoulders secured to the plate and use Pandrol clips to secure the rail. My original idea of welding the rail seems fraught with problems.
thanks, Dik
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
I've heard that the head can be hardened to 880 Brinell...
I've secured it to my steel plate channel 'bridge' by means of weldable Pandrol shoulders.
Thanks to all,
Dik
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
If you weld, don't weld at the foot of the rail, where it is loaded in tension.
If you weld (MMA = SMAW), preheat to at least 300° Celsius.
and use basic coated (low hydrogen) electrodes.
880 Brinell seems exceptionally high, in Belgium the standard value is 200 Brinell (not heat treated), and only for small radii the head of the rail is heat treated to 360 Brinell.
RE: Fillet Welding Rail
I didn't know that they 'selectively' hardened portions of the head...
Welding is fraught with too many problems and I've avoided this, completely... I had never considered that rail coud be affected by a single spark. The steel 'channel bridge' and weldable shoulders will be shop fabricated and cast into concrete and the rail is held by spring clips only...
Again, thanks for all the assistance...
Dik