Back in the mid- 1960's, I crewed on a CN work train here in southern Ontario that ripped out about 25 miles of VERY old track from an abandoned short branch line between Simcoe and Port Rowan. We were told it all went to Gillette in the US. Well work hardened material for them I guess.
Take care.
Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.
That went to replace the diminished supply they got in1958-9 from the Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Railway. The I,B and Slow was so slow that it never got beyond Bird's Creek (the Bancroft terminus). This line had been built with rail imported from England (so I was told) and had grades steeper than anywhere else in Canada. I can still recall the caned seats in the day coaches around 1944. In those days, It was a race between my parents, Dad and I would be dropped at Toronto Union station, then Mother would drive back to her parent's home, load up the Model "A" coupe, then she and my brother would drive the 150 miles to meet us at my other grandparent's home in Wilberforce, near where the three of us spent the summer while Dad went back to work at Acme Screw & Gear in Toronto. Many good memories from this period in my life! Gerry :-)} London, Canada
Silly question: how do they make the blades from the track? I'm assuming it's not melted and then reforged?
Jon
They probably melt it and add some carbon, or at least carburize it (not commonly a mass production method, at least for something you'd turn into sheet, that I'm aware of), then roll it into sheet, stamp and/or whatever they do to make the final blades.
I think rail is usually a strong alloy, maybe high in manganese, titanium, ? I'm not aware of it having enough carbon to be worth anything for sharpness though.
Tim
-- "I've got more trophies than Wayne Gretsky and the Pope combined!" - Homer Simpson Website @
BIG SNIP
Hey Jon,
Not a clue, but we assumed it was for blades.
Brian.
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