Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[boldie]

It was taken on a camp called "Sheffield Top" I can tell because I recognise the stones under the trailer.

Now that's impressive.

[RED-DOG]

It was taken on a camp called "Sheffield Top" I can tell because I recognise the stones under the trailer.

Now that's impressive.

Haha. Not really. We never stopped on a camp anywhere that was covered in graded stone, except Sheffield Top, and it fits the time-frame.

[RED-DOG]

Weight update please

Flatlining ~ 13st 4lb

[RED-DOG]

Been working in London for a couple of days. It coincided with a friends birthday, so we agreed that she could decide how we spent the evening. She decided on going to see "WarHorse" at the New London Theatre.

I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I can't recommend it highly enough. Do go if you can, you will be surprised.

[Karabiner]

Weight update please

Fatlining ~ 13st 4lb

FYP

[RED-DOG]

What's happened to the expansion gaps in railway lines?

I noticed today that they seem to be all welded together in one continuous length now, no room for expansion, and worse still, no clickety clack.

[tikay]

What's happened to the expansion gaps in railway lines?

I noticed today that they seem to be all welded together in one continuous length now, no room for expansion, and worse still, no clickety clack.

It's a dreadful thing, clickity-clack is the nuts.

"Continuous rail" (welded) is the modern way. Clickity-clack is very wearing, metal-on-metal, bumpity bump.

Clickity-clack still exists on most of the London Underground, I believe.  Enjoy it whilst you can.

[Claw75]

Been working in London for a couple of days. It coincided with a friends birthday, so we agreed that she could decide how we spent the evening. She decided on going to see "WarHorse" at the New London Theatre.

I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I can't recommend it highly enough. Do go if you can, you will be surprised.

going to see this in June - looking forward to it more now!

[RED-DOG]

Been working in London for a couple of days. It coincided with a friends birthday, so we agreed that she could decide how we spent the evening. She decided on going to see "WarHorse" at the New London Theatre.

I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I can't recommend it highly enough. Do go if you can, you will be surprised.

going to see this in June - looking forward to it more now!

Now I can't wait for you to see it and come back to tell us how good it is.

This is just the sort of thing someone like Tony (Who thinks that theatre is all artsy fartsy tosh, exclusively designed to appeal to hooray Henrys only) should see.

[RED-DOG]

What's happened to the expansion gaps in railway lines?

I noticed today that they seem to be all welded together in one continuous length now, no room for expansion, and worse still, no clickety clack.

It's a dreadful thing, clickity-clack is the nuts.

"Continuous rail" (welded) is the modern way. Clickity-clack is very wearing, metal-on-metal, bumpity bump.

Clickity-clack still exists on most of the London Underground, I believe.  Enjoy it whilst you can.

I had to have a close look at the weld to make sure it wasn't some sort of spongy substance squeezed into the gap in the line (Like the tar in the expansion gaps in concrete roads)

So, how did they solve the expansion problem?

[tikay]

What's happened to the expansion gaps in railway lines?

I noticed today that they seem to be all welded together in one continuous length now, no room for expansion, and worse still, no clickety clack.

It's a dreadful thing, clickity-clack is the nuts.

"Continuous rail" (welded) is the modern way. Clickity-clack is very wearing, metal-on-metal, bumpity bump.

Clickity-clack still exists on most of the London Underground, I believe.  Enjoy it whilst you can.

I had to have a close look at the weld to make sure it wasn't some sort of spongy substance squeezed into the gap in the line (Like the tar in the expansion gaps in concrete roads)

So, how did they solve the expansion problem?

See......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_(rail_transport)

Specifically......


Continuous welded rail

Welded rail joint

Most modern railways use continuous welded rail (CWR), sometimes referred to as ribbon rails. In this form of track, the rails are welded together by utilising flash butt welding to form one continuous rail that may be several kilometres long, or thermite welding to repair or splice together existing CWR segments. Because there are few joints, this form of track is very strong, gives a smooth ride, and needs less maintenance; trains can travel on it at higher speeds and with less friction. Welded rails are more expensive to lay than jointed tracks, but have much lower maintenance costs. The first welded track was used in Germany in 1924 and the US in 1930[3] and has become common on main lines since the 1950s.

Flash butt welding is the preferred process which involves an automated track-laying machine running a strong electrical current through the touching ends of two unjoined pieces of rail. The ends become white hot due to electrical resistance and are then pressed together forming a strong weld. Thermite welding is a manual process requiring a reaction crucible and form to contain the molten iron. Thermite-bonded joints are also seen as less reliable and more prone to fracture or break.

If not restrained, rails would lengthen in hot weather and shrink in cold weather. To provide this restraint, the rail is prevented from moving in relation to the sleeper by use of clips or anchors. Anchors are more common for wooden sleepers, whereas most concrete or steel sleepers are fastened to the rail by special clips which resist longitudinal movement of the rail. There is no theoretical limit to how long a welded rail can be. However, if longitudinal and lateral restraint are insufficient, the track could become distorted in hot weather and cause a derailment. Distortion due to heat expansion is known in North America as sun kink, and elsewhere as buckling. In North America a rail broken due to cold-related contraction is known as a pull-apart. Attention needs to be paid to compacting the ballast effectively, including under, between, and at the ends of the sleepers, to prevent the sleepers from moving. In extreme hot weather special inspections are required to monitor sections of track known to be problematic.

After new segments of rail are laid, or defective rails replaced (welded-in), the rails are artificially stressed. The stressing process involves either heating the rails causing them to expand,[4] or stretching the rails with hydraulic equipment. They are then fastened (clipped) to the sleepers in their expanded form. This process ensures that the rail will not expand much further in subsequent hot weather. In cold weather the rails try to contract, but because they are firmly fastened, cannot do so. In effect, stressed rails are a bit like a piece of stretched elastic firmly fastened down.

CWR rail is laid (including fastening) at a temperature roughly midway between the extremes experienced at that location (this is known as the "rail neutral temperature"). This installation procedure, along with normal track structure strength, is intended to prevent tracks from buckling in summer heat or pulling apart in winter cold. In North America, because broken rails are typically detected by the signaling system; they are seen as less of a problem than heat kinks which are not detected.

Joints are used in continuous welded rail when necessary, usually for signal circuit gaps. Instead of a joint that passes straight across the rail, the two rail ends are sometimes cut at an angle to give a smoother transition. In extreme cases, such as at the end of long bridges, a breather switch (referred to in North America and Britain as an expansion joint) gives a smooth path for the wheel while allowing the end of one rail to expand in relation to the next rail

[RED-DOG]

Thank you.

So many "Wow!" facts in the piece.

The first welded track was used in Germany in 1924

Flash butt welding is the preferred process which involves an automated track-laying machine running a strong electrical current through the touching ends of two unjoined pieces of rail. The ends become white hot due to electrical resistance and are then pressed together forming a strong weld.

They are then fastened (clipped) to the sleepers in their expanded form. This process ensures that the rail will not expand much further in subsequent hot weather. In cold weather the rails try to contract, but because they are firmly fastened, cannot do so. In effect, stressed rails are a bit like a piece of stretched elastic firmly fastened down.


One of the wow facts is missing!!!

When I first read the piece, there was a section about expanding the line using a burning rope, but now I can't find it. It was there, honest otherwise, how would I know about it?

Am I going mad?

[tikay]

Thank you.

So many "Wow!" facts in the piece.

The first welded track was used in Germany in 1924

Flash butt welding is the preferred process which involves an automated track-laying machine running a strong electrical current through the touching ends of two unjoined pieces of rail. The ends become white hot due to electrical resistance and are then pressed together forming a strong weld.

They are then fastened (clipped) to the sleepers in their expanded form. This process ensures that the rail will not expand much further in subsequent hot weather. In cold weather the rails try to contract, but because they are firmly fastened, cannot do so. In effect, stressed rails are a bit like a piece of stretched elastic firmly fastened down.


One of the wow facts is missing!!!

When I first read the piece, there was a section about expanding the line using a burning rope, but now I can't find it. It was there, honest otherwise, how would I know about it?

Am I going mad?

No - I edited out the part below, which is the wordy bit under one of the photos on the right hand side of the Wiki Page. It did not run with the main body of text, hence I removed it. See the Wiki page.

A pull-apart on the Long Island Rail Road Babylon Branch being repaired by using flaming rope to expand the rail back to a point where it can be joined together

[RED-DOG]

Thank you.

So many "Wow!" facts in the piece.

The first welded track was used in Germany in 1924

Flash butt welding is the preferred process which involves an automated track-laying machine running a strong electrical current through the touching ends of two unjoined pieces of rail. The ends become white hot due to electrical resistance and are then pressed together forming a strong weld.

They are then fastened (clipped) to the sleepers in their expanded form. This process ensures that the rail will not expand much further in subsequent hot weather. In cold weather the rails try to contract, but because they are firmly fastened, cannot do so. In effect, stressed rails are a bit like a piece of stretched elastic firmly fastened down.


One of the wow facts is missing!!!

When I first read the piece, there was a section about expanding the line using a burning rope, but now I can't find it. It was there, honest otherwise, how would I know about it?

Am I going mad?

No - I edited out the part below, which is the wordy bit under one of the photos on the right hand side of the Wiki Page. It did not run with the main body of text, hence I removed it. See the Wiki page.

A pull-apart on the Long Island Rail Road Babylon Branch being repaired by using flaming rope to expand the rail back to a point where it can be joined together

Phew! TFFT.

I thought I'd gone red jelly.

[Rod Paradise]

I thought I'd gone red jelly.

Trying to work out the rhyming slang there & really hope (for your sake)  it's not rhyming with Muzelly, but I can't for the life of me think what else you are saying.