I would guess they are shims for spacing "stick rail" to accomodate temperature induced expansion and contraction to minimize rail kinks and pull-aparts.
If I remember right, the expansion rate for steel is about .0006" per inch per degree of temperature. Figure out the total expansion per degree for a length of welded rail from there and you get a pretty astonishing figure. I could tell some stories later, like, how running on welded rail on a hot summer day is the equivalent of chasing a black snake through a cow pasture, if anyone's interested Bob Nicholson ________________________________________ --- In [email protected], "ctxmf74" <ctxm@...> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], Bob Werre <bob@> wrote: > > > > Someplace among my "odd ball" railroad stuff, I have three rail > > profiles. These sort of resemble insulating joints that are probably > > used in spacing rail joints for expansion. > > Probably for insulated joints for signals? Around here the regular joints > are just left with open gaps for expansion...DaveBranum > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
