Notice to all visitors and members of the Train-Sim.Com message forums:
If you plan on using a signature banner in your posts, we would like to remind you that there is a maximum size for banners. That maximum is 450 pixels wide by 120 pixels high, and not to exceed 25k. Your compliance is appreciated. FORUM RULES Problems? There are two common reasons for problems with logging in and posting messages. The first is that you are running a firewall that prevents your messages from being sent to the server. The other is that you have cookies disabled; the DCForum software requires cookies to work properly.
Previous Topic | Next Topic
Printer-friendly copy Email this topic to a friend
Reading Topic #5349
What is the modern method(s) of laying track now? I've heard of screwspikes and such...seen pictures of concrete slabs instead of wooden ties and toher weird stuff.I though all railways used the method of wooden ties held down with straight iron spikes. Whats the deal with all this new stuff???/Jay
http://www.freewebs.com/peterbiltsrule 
Site now with new Message Board!
Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
It allows the load to be spread better over the right of way. With todays heavier cars, heavier locomotives, and higher speeds a more stable platform is needed.All of the new track and turnouts that my crew is installing is using roll plates and Pandrol clips instead of the standard tie plate and straight spikes. - Andrew
Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
>What is the modern method(s) of laying track now? I've heard
>of screwspikes and such...seen pictures of concrete slabs
>instead of wooden ties and toher weird stuff.
>
>I though all railways used the method of wooden ties held
>down with straight iron spikes.
>
>Whats the deal with all this new stuff???/ What, Railroads aren't allowed to take advantage of modern technology? -Jeff
Union Pacific is my drug.
Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Im just asking what are the modern methods....the tracks by my home still have the tieplate and straight spikes.......Jay http://www.freewebs.com/peterbiltsrule Site now with new Message Board!
Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Here in the NYC Metro Area, the Long Island Rail Road, and my employer, Metro North, are replacing wooden ties with concrete "sleepers", using a track laying machine. Now, this TLM autmatically welds the joints together, thereby making the track continuous welded rail (or CWR). It also automatically levels off the track before welding the joints, thereby reducing the amount of juggling that occurs when going over the rail. This machine allows for a smoother ride overall. I haven't seen it myself yet, to be honest, but I've seen it's work, and all I gotta say is "wow!"Stuart D. Guberman
Chief Operations Officer
Atlantic Coastal Railway
http://www.atlanticrail.com
P32 & Electric MU Engineer
MTA Metro North Railroad
http://www.mta.info/mnr
Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
There are a number of ways of building track. The simplest, cheapest method is to put lateral ties (sleepers) made out of wood, and use screwspikes to attach the rails.Since the early 1900s, certainly on fast lines, mainly in Europe, rails have not been mounted directly on to the ties, due to the forces acting on the rail/tie 'interface' when the fast, heavy trains of the time passed over. Instead, they are mounted on 'chairs', cast iron 'feet', which are spiked to the tie, and the rail laid between the two teeth, and secured by a wedge.More recently, using concrete sleepers, these chairs have been replaced by a newer type of baseplate, on to which the rail is 'clipped'. To find out all you could ever possibly imagine about these, look here: http://www.pandrol.com/But it doesn't stop with wood and concrete! ties can be made out of virtually anything, in the UK we're now starting to use steel ties, which have been long used in place of wood where rot/termites are a problem, and the UP is trialling 'composites' (ie Plastic) ties. Also, ties are not just in monoblock form (single units), but TGV lines use Duo-Block ties (two concrete ties, one for each rail, with a steel spacer linking the two) - see here: http://www.trainweb.org/tgvpages/track.html
[ Home | MSTS Forum | MSTS FAQ | File Library ] Copyright © 2002 by Nels Anderson. All Rights Reserved.
Restored from the Train-Sim.Com archive, captured June 29, 2003. About this archive.