how to drill hole in peice of railroad track?
04-05-2005, 02:53 PM
#17
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I've drilled a lot of rail. It work hardens so you must have a sharp bit and maintain pressure enough to keep it cutting. Best done in a drill press or mill. I don't expect that is an option for you so the torch is probably you're best option. Rail is also in (If memory serves me correct) 127 # and 139# weights per 3'. Heavy stuff! We have in the past milled angles and drilled rail for switches at the mines. Hell on tools.
Kim
Kim
04-05-2005, 03:40 PM
#18
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Okay I know this is cheap and not the most asthetically pleasing but what about duct tape, bailing wire or zip ties. Just to hold it in place. I am assumming that there is something for it to rest on and it is not hanging in the air. So the above just need to keep it from sliding off its rest. If so I bet any one of those might work, not pretty but probably workable.
04-05-2005, 07:05 PM
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Originally posted by KWentling
I've drilled a lot of rail. It work hardens so you must have a sharp bit and maintain pressure enough to keep it cutting. Best done in a drill press or mill. I don't expect that is an option for you so the torch is probably you're best option. Rail is also in (If memory serves me correct) 127 # and 139# weights per 3'. Heavy stuff! We have in the past milled angles and drilled rail for switches at the mines. Hell on tools.
Kim
I've drilled a lot of rail. It work hardens so you must have a sharp bit and maintain pressure enough to keep it cutting. Best done in a drill press or mill. I don't expect that is an option for you so the torch is probably you're best option. Rail is also in (If memory serves me correct) 127 # and 139# weights per 3'. Heavy stuff! We have in the past milled angles and drilled rail for switches at the mines. Hell on tools.
Kim
Ill check back with you tomorrow
04-05-2005, 07:09 PM
#22
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well, he's got one hole in it, but it's in the middle of the tray, and it moves all over, the tray has edges around it to hold your weight.
think I will just take it loose, and move it so one edge is against the tray edge, and put the one bolt hole in the middle, and bolt it. that way, drill hole in the eqpt, instead of the track
if that don't work - zip tie!
think I will just take it loose, and move it so one edge is against the tray edge, and put the one bolt hole in the middle, and bolt it. that way, drill hole in the eqpt, instead of the track
if that don't work - zip tie!
04-08-2005, 01:11 PM
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100lbs/ft is sorta' light duty rail!!! (heavy enough for an anvil!)
IIRC, heavy mainline rail was something upwards of 125-150lbs/ft! Depends on the rail duty, curves, crossings etc.
I don't know how they list it now (in this age of ISO and metric everything) but we used to have an old U.S.Steel product catalog that had all that stuff spelled out and rail was all categorized by Lbs-per-ft.
Keith
IIRC, heavy mainline rail was something upwards of 125-150lbs/ft! Depends on the rail duty, curves, crossings etc.
I don't know how they list it now (in this age of ISO and metric everything) but we used to have an old U.S.Steel product catalog that had all that stuff spelled out and rail was all categorized by Lbs-per-ft.
Keith
04-08-2005, 03:53 PM
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heavy mainline rail was something upwards of 125-150lbs/ft!
04-08-2005, 05:20 PM
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Another good place to use for railroad iron is in the fireplace. They make great andirons and you will never burn them up. I cut mine with a hack saw because that's all I had. Don't remember how many blades I used but several. The rails I used must have been a light guage because they weren't as tall as other rails I have seen but they were just the right heighth for the fireplace.
04-08-2005, 09:49 PM
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There are bits that will do it but you won,t find them a Lowes and it will probably cost more than your drill gun. I'd do like that other guy said and find someone to blow some holes in it with a smoke wrench.
V
V
04-09-2005, 07:01 AM
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The heavy mainline stuff is usually 133 or 136 lb, biggest I've seen is 141, this is on a line that sees heavy coal traffic. There is alot of 112 and 115 lb stick out there on the lower traffic mains, the yards alot of times are 112 or 115 on the lead, and 100 down in the yard. The really ancient stuff will be 85, or even 76 lb if it's really old. If it's been in use recently, it's steel, and not iron. It's all hard as heck, the RR's use torches to cut the bolt holes in 'em, even they don't bother drilling them if it's being done on site. The new stuff comes with holes already in, done during the mfg process?
04-09-2005, 07:55 AM
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Mr. James is right about the rail sizes. These weights are per three ft. Torch cut rail is only legal for 10 MPH traffic or less. For speeds higher than that the rail has to be cut whit an abraisive cutting disk and drilled for the joint bars. I have worked with 75, 85, 90, 110, 112, 113, 115, 119, 131, 132, 133, 136, and soon to get some 141lb.rail on my main line. We do have a lot of 112,113,115,&119lb rail still in service on 70 MPH track. I have been a track foreman for UPRR for 20 yrs. Now my head hurts. Supposed to be my off day. 