railroad track weldability?

[Bmxin^Bjorn]

I saw a de-railed CN train today downtown and the tracks where mangled .. i was thinking are railroad tracks tougher steel? and weldable?
i was thinking i could use them on a Cat bulldoser ripper project if there stronger. The catapiller brand and Accurate brand ripper teeth wear out too fast and cost to much for what the customer is doing.

[JonnyTIG]

I suppose it would depend on the type of ripper /CAT product. RR track used for a ripper shank on say a 140 grader might work, but welding a chunk to the cutting edge of a D10 ripper shank probably wont. Rail is a higher carbon steel and hardened, to what specs I don't know, but I believe it is harder and tougher than any CAT ground engaging implement. I work for CAT, and the repair procedures for ripper shanks doesn't seem to work for welding rail.

If anyone has any input into the mechanical properties breakdown of rail, please post.

[Bmxin^Bjorn]

i just want to weld a couple flat bars on the side for a stop when sliding into the recerver part of the ripper, i'm going to cut the rail on a 45* and put it in i'm thinking.

[Anti-GMAW]

RR tracks are usealy welded using the thermite method. Very large castings are also welded in place using this method as are under water structures

[Darmik]

Rail road castings

Hey Bmxin^Bjorn there is a place in coquitlam calles nortracks they weld that stuff I worked for them for a while very dirty work anyway to weld this stuff you need magnesium rod it burns just like 7018 they have a contract with essco in coquitlam also. I never did try to weld ms to this stuff hope this helps.

[HMW]

RR tracks are usealy welded using the thermite method. Very large castings are also welded in place using this method as are under water structures

Dumb question maybe, but what is the thermite method? In the Marines we had thermit grenades ha ha ha

[Fat-Fab.com]

Dumb question maybe, but what is the thermite method? In the Marines we had thermit grenades ha ha ha

Same thing just not constricted so no boom.

I think thermite is a combo of aluminum and steel oxides and once you light them off they will burn very hot for as long as the fuel is present. I think they add some powered steel to the mix and that acts like a filler. For RR track they have a form they place and clamp around the track fill it full of the thermite and add a spark and you got a weld.

Electricians use this method for bonding ground straps.
TJ

[phaxtris]

if its just basic stops, 7018 and away you go

[Steve]

I would get a new tooth and hard surface the front and sides full coverage twice with Stoody 101HC. If that didn't last long enough I would call Stoody for their recommendation for the job at hand. I would want a high abrasion hard surface for a ripper tooth. Maybe a different style tooth is needed as they make all kinds for different conditions.

[Anti-GMAW]

Dumb question maybe, but what is the thermite method? In the Marines we had thermit grenades ha ha ha

Try this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite

I'm a bit of a pyro and also a self proclaimed explosives expert. I pride my self on being able to tell ppl the exact chemical make up of certian reactive substinces and there common practical uses. Don't go quizzing me on explosives though cause I'm extremly cautious (spelling?) and parranoid about who I give that info out to. My answers are usualy thourough enough to get certain ppl into trouble. If you wish to know more about thermite however I'd be glad to share my knowledge with you. I "play" with the stuff quite often and love to burn through junk with it. It's completly legal since it does not produce an explosive reaction. Ican also provide info on where to get the material at a prety reasonable cost. I tend to use such large quantitys screwing around with it that somtimes I have to go the budget route

[HMW]

Very interesting GMAW and fat fab. I have never heard of that but sounds cool. i have seen the grenades work and man can they melt stuff, They dont really explode like a real grenade either so I can imagine what your talking about. You wouldn't happen to have any pics of track welded like that. Sounds cool

[Bmxin^Bjorn]

he is using the ripper for a extremely harsh mining enviroment up north.

[rktompsett]

About 20 years ago I bought a 9 foot length of track rail at a scrap yard for the threshold of my pole barn door. As the yard guy was torch cutting it to my length he told me that rail is harden on the top (where the train rides) and softer in the web and base so cutting was a bit difficult on the harden surface.

[Sberry]

I have welded several things to it with 7018, heat first, its thick.

[Craig in Denver]

You wouldn't happen to have any pics of track welded like that. Sounds cool

Google "thermite railroad track welding", there's youtube videos.