Thermit welding

[TonytheTiger]

Yesterday I spent my lunch hour (plus a little more) with a Thermit welding gang on the NS Harrisburg mainline at CP Tara.  I saw them in the morning as I was going to work, and the dispatcher told them, at that time, that they would have to wait for three trains.  I expected them to be gone by the time I returned at lunch, but they still had not been able to get any track time to install any welds.

Just as I was getting ready to head back to the office, the dispatcher came onto the radio and gave them an hour.  I set up my camera (I was using a tripod so that I could use slow shutter speeds to emphasize the fire and sparks), and recorded their activities.

They had two ends of a compromise rail to weld.  A compromise rail has different rail sizes at each end.  In this case, one end was 140lb new, and the other was 136lb worn.  The first weld ready to go was on the worn end.  Here is one of the welders setting up the crucible while the mold preheats . . . .

http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=816498

On the ?new? end of the rail, the mold is being preheated while a westbound train passes on the other mainline . . . .

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=194121

The first weld is shot . . . .

http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=816501

The second weld is shot . . . .

http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=816497

The top of the mold, on the second weld, is being cut off, exposing the still white hot semi-molten metal inside . . . .

http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=816500

The final step is to grind the new weld to match the contours of the rail . . . .

http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=816499

Traffic was restored in just over an hour.  These welders are professionals in every sense of the word.  This day was not as hot as it has been in the past week or so, but, can you imagine doing this work in 100? heat?!?

Rob Kitchen
Harrisburg, PA