My challenge to you, here, is to come up with pictures of as many track parts as possible. Some are obvious, like my starting example, the rail. Others are more obscure, but equally important for running trains. For starters, the most obvious--spares: And installed:
You have a mixture of rail sizes and some new and some relay rail there. Some of the relay rail has been used on a curve and has also been turned once as it is worn the same on both sides of the rail head.
Pierce - That is a Cadweld welded rail head bond wire. It is applied to the rail using a version of the thermite welding process. The bond is held in place by a special clamp with pockets above each end of the wire where the welding compound is placed and then ignighted with a spark similar to what a cigarette lighter uses. They replaced the older type bond where a 3/8 inch hole was drilled in the rail head.
Anyone notice the tie has creeped out of place, or was placed incorrectly? The tie is only supporting the left rail end, depending on the tie plate and fish plates to support the rail on the right. It is easy to see what happens in a case like this. See the scuffing on the left rail head? It is higher than the right hand rail, so has been hammered down mostly from on-coming traffic. This joint will eventually fail because it causes the fish plates to wedge apart, putting the track bolts in tension. Everytime a wheel dropps off the left rail down onto the right hand unsupported rail, it strains the threads of the track bolts. When they finally let go, the rail on the right will drop down and bury its end in the ballast. Judging by the deformation present, some track inspector has not noticed this for some time now. Pretty soon though..........
I took this shot roughly two years ago. It was on the Housatonic RR tracks near the Danbury Railway Museum. I will have to take a look when I am at the Museum this coming Wednesday and see if this joint was repaired. Thanks, Watash, for an excellent lesson in how to look at track conditions.
Watash, It is facinating to read your observations and assessments of that joint. Were you an inspector or is this from experience?
In this picture, a switch is being repaired. The part I found interesting here is the rod, partly obscured by ballast, used here to help hold the track in gauge. This is a piece that is probably unseen most of the time. I don't know how common its usage is today.
Gauge rods are not normally used on main track in good condition but are found on sidings and in yards or other locations where track is not well maintained. They are generally used near turnouts and on curves. There are both insulated and non-insulated types. The insulated are used where there are track circuits and when not maintained properly will cause a short circuit in the track circuit. Where the ties are in poor condition they hold the rails in gauge.
We had a real busy day at the DRM yesterday, so I was not able to shoot any new pix. I will be back there in two weeks. Hopefully, I will get an updated shot of that rail joint then.
That is called a self-guarded or flanged frog and is normally used in yards. The flanges (the raised portion at the point on both sides) eliminate the necessity to use guard rails. You had to be very careful when passing over one of these with a motor car as the tread of the wheels were not as wide as those of a car or locomotive. The self guarding feature would not work and you were quite likely to derail.