Re: (erielack) CWR - made in Salamanca

[MDelvec952_@_aol.com]

> That  reminds me, CWR was best laid in hot weather when it was at or near 
>  maximum  expansion. If not, it could buckle and kink during extreme heat. 
We 
> had problems with that on CN in Ontario in the 70's, and I think it caused 
a  
>  derailment. CSX also had problems with this several years back.

Since the 1980s or so CWR is laid in any weather.  The flash-butt welding 
machines that join the ends of welded rail actually pull the rail to a programmed 
tension, depending on ambient tempurature and geometry in the area (curves, 
tangents, etc), much like a guitar string, as much as 120 tons of tension.   On 
hot days the expansion reduces the tension to near zero. And if there is a 
failure in the rail steel or a joint the rail pulls apart and the signals go red 
stopping traffic.  In the old days the rail failures would just lay there 
until found by visual or Sperry, or they tripped up a set of wheels.

Mike Del Vecchio

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