|
|
Article: Thermite weld evaluations and developments: railroads, manufacturers and suppliers continually improve infrastructure products and practices for improved performance and reliability. (TTCI R&D).
- Article from:
- Railway Track and Structures
- Article date:
- December 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
In 1988, at the beginning of heavy-axle-load operations at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., there was a failure rate of 89 percent with thermite welds after 159 mgt (this failure rate is for service failures only-through weld fractures), while running 315,000-pound cars. Welds were not optimized to perform in this more-demanding, increased axle load environment.
Therefore, weld manufacturers recognized that product improvements were required to obtain acceptable performance under heavier axle loads.
The estimated cost to repair a rail defect or fracture is $1,700 using a plug rail and two welds. ...