Rail lengths
Encyclopedia
Rail lengths are made as long as possible, as joints between rails are a source of weakness. Over the decades, lengths increased as manufacturing processes improved.
The following are lengths from the steel mill, without any thermite welding.
The following are lengths from the steel mill, without any thermite welding.
Examples
- (the following rails are not welded from shorter lengths)
- (1830)
15 feet (4.57 m) Liverpool and Manchester RailwayLiverpool and Manchester RailwayThe Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
- fish-belly rails at 35 lb/yd (17.4 kg/m), laid mostly on stone blocks.
- (1880)
39 feet (11.9m) United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to suit 40 foot long gondola waggons
- (1950) 60 feet (18.3m) British RailBritish RailBritish Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
- {1900) 71 feet (21.6m) - steel works weighing machine for rails
- (1940s) 78 feet (23.7m) US
- (2011)
394 feet (120m) VoestalpineVoestalpineVoestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
- (2011)
397 feet (121m) JindalJindalJindal is a gotra in the Agrawal community in India that is often used as a family name. Jindal may refer to:* Jindal Steel and Power Limited, an Indian corporation founded by O. P. Jindal* Jindal Park, in Thanesar, Kurukshetra district, India...