Re: Questions about Rail Grinding

[Bruce Greening <bgreeni@attglobal.net>]

Andrew Honan wrote:

> As I understand rail grinding, it only comes into play on heavy
> haulage lines where track owners are extracting low maintenance costs.
> For example the Hamersley Iron line has a very well developed grinding
> program on hard headed rail. Curves in particular have different
> cambers. But all this pre-supposes continous welded rail, 63kg rail,
> concrete sleepers and heavy tonneage freight.
>
> Much of our interstate lines are not to this standard.
>

Rail grinding has a number of purposes

   * Removal of corrugations - these can be either short (heard as 'roaring
     rails') or long wave length
   * Removal of flow from the gauge face of the rail
   * Removal of surface defects that make ultra sonic testing difficult.
   * The most important ( and little practised in NSW out side of the Hunter) of
     establishing and maintaining a profile that, matched with a suitable wheel
     profile, can greatly increase the life of the rail, and wheels, and also
     give fuel consumption benefits by reducing flanging forces. Well maintained
     rail also can result in much reduced tamping of the track.

--
Bruce L. Greening
bgreeni@ibm.net