Railroad track as an anvil? (Ig)

When railroad tracks get old they can fall victim to a condition called "shelling", where the outside is work hardened but the inside has actually been pounded into dust. This is why the tracks have to be replaced. I don't know if I would want any, myself.

Later,

Charlie

When railroad tracks get old they can fall victim to a condition called "shelling", where the outside is work hardened but the inside has actually been pounded into dust. This is why the tracks have to be replaced.

You could ship a couple feet in a Priority Mail flat rate box nice and cheap.

Pete C.

I have a rail section from a switch, its the part that goes between the point (actual cast point where the 2 rails converge) and where it actually splits into 2 rails.

Much thicker than a rail section, flatter profile. heavy sumbitch.

Dave

Very short pieces of about 11" can probably be shipped via priority mail flat rate. My track was very light gauge.

Actually a good point. Subway cars are on the order of 60-100,000 #. I saw a railroad ditty on cable, where one of the last steam locomotives produced weighed in at 876,000 #!! Goodgawd... That has to require a heavier gauge than a pubic transportation system, but then mebbe they overbuilt these systems as well. Inyone know about gauges'n's*it?

Yeah, switching/crossover sections of rail can be massive. I heard that a single wheel of a passenger train weighs 800 #.

I saw one of these monsters when I visited Illinois Railroad Museum near Rockford with my son last summer. A truly impressive sight, I did not realize that people could machine things that bi at the beginning of the century.

I have such an anvil. The rail top was surface-ground FLAT and a large undercut was done to one end to the rib of the track. This produced a stake on one end that was further tapered to an elongated vee.

I've used the anvil only a few times. It is suitable for light sheet metal work - aluminum, gold, annealed copper, etc.

Gary

There probably is STILL a lot of trolley car (street car) rail around, and it is much lighter gauge than main line rail. I'm not sure if rapid transit rail is also a lighter gauge, it is at least set up to the same gauge.

Jon

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in news:dSm8h.43$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe12.lga:

The anvil we've had in our shops for _years_ is made from a piece of railroad rail. Cut the gullet out back about 4-5" in an arc, then tapered the rail to make a snout. Works great.

Possibly. Price is everything.

Me personally, about 18", maybe? Or one 18" and one 3'. It wouldn't be worth the shipping to me, though, never mind enough to make it worth your while.

Ask over on alt.crafts.blacksmithing or rec.knives, I seem to recall there being a retired railroad man or two over there. I remember from past discussions that there are some blue laws still on the books in some states where posession or trade of rail in any quantity has penalties. Might want to dig into that a little, see if it still applies. Also, there are several sizes and grades of rail, not one universal size.

I bet small chunks of Rail for anvil use would sell on eBay, I think I'd list them in the sections pertaining to railroad memorabilia, modelers, (model railroaders in particular), jewelers/watchmakers tools, locksmith tools and the like.

Wikipedia has an entry for rail...

Details here...

Yeah, what if terrorists got hold of some.

I use them often for heavy things, like once I sent 50 lbs in a flat rate box (owatonna puller pieces).

Also, there are several sizes and grades of rail, not one

From 1939 Rail Sizes (in inches) . 90# 100# 110# 120# 130# 140# 150# Height 5 5/8 6 6 1/4 6 1/2 6 3/4 7 7 3/4 Width of: Base 5 1/8 5 3/8 5 1/2 5 3/4 6 6 1/4 6 3/4 Head 2 9/16 2 11/16 2 25/32 2 7/8 2 15/16 3 3 1/8

The # numbers represent weight per yard. Other sizes: #20, #30,#35, #40,#

I think there is also a #200 rail used in really high traffic areas as welded "continuous" rail.

Sheeit, 20# is not much bigger than G-scale model railroad. :) Good info. 200# must be a monster. I think the Amtrack stuff around here is around 100#. I'll pop down and measure one day.

You guys deserve this chuckle

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)

No..the laws were put into effect to prevent people from ripping up track,say on a little used siding, to sell for scrap..or even to a company for a siding, and having a train try to go where there used to be tracks.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"