Rails
The Rio Grande Zephyr leaves Leyden sidingin Arvada, Colo., on its way west to Utah in the early 1980s. Note how the twin paralleling rails, backlit by the low morning sun, create a dramatic photo even though the train is far down the tracks.
AS RAILFANS, WE MAINLY LIKE to photograph trains. But there is more to railroading than just locomotives and their trains. While bridges and tunnels and stations are popu- lar railroading subjects to incorporate into a train composition, or even to feature by themselves from time to time, one railroad aspect often overlooked are the rails them- selves. Maybe it is because rails are natural- ly a part of every train photo we take, so common that we often pay them no atten- tion. But why not try to make a conscious ef- fort to compose some train photos where the tracks are a significant part of the scene? Doing so can give you some eye catching ma- terial to spice up a slide or image show as well as help create a more dramatic rail- roading scene for framing and wall display, or to add to your web site or blog. Some especially dramatic rail situations that can help add drama to a railroad photo include reverse curves, multiple tracks and switches, and rails gleaming brightly from strong backlighting. In rainy conditions, headlights will reflect dramatically off of wet rails, especially in low light or night scenes. At times even a photo of just multi- ple rails without a train can be an interest- ing photo.
Rail History
The rail used today on railroads has a varied and interesting history. The first rails were wooden and carried wagons drawn by hors- es. Next came iron straps fastened to the top of the wooden rail, then in 1820 with the coming of steam locomotives, cast iron rails. In 1831 the first T-shaped rail was laid on
the Pennsylvania Railroad. The first steel rails in the shape of a capital “I” (with a cross head and base) were made in 1857. For years the common rail length was 39 feet (a length designed to fit in wagons and rail gons for transport, and sized when hot at 39 feet 8 inches to allow for shrinkage when cooled), joined together with joint bars, or “fishplates.” Rails were also manufactured in 78-foot lengths. Then around 1940, the welding together of 37 lengths of rail total- ing 1443 feet, then welding these together to form miles of continuous un-jointed smooth riding “ribbon rail” started, allowing higher speeds and heavier tonnage.
Rails are stamped on the web (side) with their weight, steel mill, and manufacture date. As an example, “1360 RE CO CF&I 1979 I” currently used on the Union Pacific’s Moffat Line west of Denver, Colo., refers to 1360 pounds per yard, Colorado Fuel & Iron (in Pueblo, Colo.), and the year and month (1979, January). Down on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic (ex-Denver & Rio Grande Western) narrow gauge steam tourist line in southern Colorado, trains run on 85-90 lb. rail, and some of the safety rails on curves are much older 40 and 45 lb. rail originally used on the line. The next time you are trackside and have some time before a train arrives, especially if you are beside a branch line, industry rail yard, or by an old spur that may have older rail, take a few mo- ments to see what is stamped on the rails (if you can do so safely and without trespassing). That continuous “clickity-clack clickity-
clack” sound of wheels rolling across jointed rails is an icon of train watching in America,
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