Re: extra Rails?

[jshugg@westpac.com.au]

In article <3a77306d@news1.idx.com.au>,
  "FH Eden" <feden@zipworld.com.au> wrote:

> More like 50 to 80 years ago and probably add another 1 to make it
150 to
> 180 years ago. There were certainly check rails on bridges and other
places
> when I first started walking the tracks in the 1940's.
> And how about the checkrails on points layouts etc?
>
Yep I agree, I wouldn't be surprised if they've been around for as long
as railways.

Check rails are quite common on narrow gauge lines, which tend to be
twisty and prone to derailment. All those photos you see of Puffing
Billy on the tressle show a single check rail on the inside of the
curve. The Ida Bay Railway (2' gauge) in southern Tassie, built very
cheaply more than 60 years ago, used/uses check rails on curves where
the line travels close to the water's edge.

Here in the UK, London Underground uses them extensively, because of
the twists and turns required to follow the streets above. This creates
quite a mess of rails: 2 running rails, 2 conductor rails, and 1 or 2
check rails, all multiplied by 2 because it's double track.

James


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