Rc of railroad rails

[tomwalz]

Looking for some idea of the hardness of railroad rails.

Thanks,
Tom

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

Good engineering starts with a Grainger Catalog.

 

[EdStainless]

New or used? In used rails the crown is a lot harder than the core due to cold working.
Have you tied looking up the ASTM spec for main line rail?

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Plymouth Tube

 

[dbooker630]

It depends on the weight per unit length. According to ASTM A1-00(2005), carbon steel rails range from 201-300 HB. The heavier rail >115lb/yd has the higher hardness. High strength rails range from 277-341HB at the lower weights and 341HB min for the heavier weight.

 

[swall]

There is also "head hardened" rail where the head has been either flame or induction hardened for enhanced wear resistance. Hardness will be above those figures cited by
dbooker630. Then you also have cast Hadfield's steel for switchwork and crossing frogs. This material will work harden in service to the mid Rc 40's.

 

[saberblue]

Check with the rail road track maintenance department

A.R. "Andy" Nelson
Engineering Consultant
anelson@arnengineering.com

 

[tomwalz]

Thank you all.

Tom

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

Good engineering starts with a Grainger Catalog.

 

[ornerynorsk]

Interesting side note that is totally off the subject of rail hardness, but does have to do with rails. Apparently, clever and resourceful people in the middle east would use plundered railroad rails as rawstock to produce their gun barrels circa the Lawrence of Arabia era.