Curved Track

[meepmeep]

Was watching one of the many cab ride videos and wondered. Does replacement rail for curved track get shaped to the curve as it's laid, or does it come to site pre-curved?

 

[swt_passenger]

Was watching one of the many cab ride videos and wondered. Does replacement rail for curved track get shaped to the curve as it's laid, or does it come to site pre-curved?

It’s effectively shaped as its laid. But it’s all (99.9%) manufactured straight, and still very flexible - it must be flexible enough to be delivered by the specialist trains, which obviously can still follow normal track curvature.

For an example, at about 2mins 30secs into this YouTube video, you can see just how flexible rail is during installation:

 

[meepmeep]

You learn something every day. Thanks swt_passenger!

 

[3973EXL]

Had the pleasure of loading new curved track panels on the Southern many times. Sometimes out of gauge and loaded with conditions, Exceptional Loads.

Loose sleepers & curved rails would be made up into panels on depot for a renewal site. Usually wooden sleepers with check rail fittings.
These would be taken to site on flatbed wagons.

Scrap panels off site could be cut to 30' to ease the curve when loading to keep within gauge.

 

[meepmeep]

Something else I have learned. I know that points/S&C are premade, but didn't know that track sections were done too!

 

[edwin_m]

Had the pleasure of loading new curved track panels on the Southern many times. Sometimes out of gauge and loaded with conditions, Exceptional Loads.

Loose sleepers & curved rails would be made up into panels on depot for a renewal site. Usually wooden sleepers with check rail fittings.
These would be taken to site on flatbed wagons.

Scrap panels off site could be cut to 30' to ease the curve when loading to keep within gauge.

What sort of radius requires track to be pre-curved? I know it's sometimes done with tram rails.

 

[Rail M]

What sort of radius requires track to be pre-curved? I know it's sometimes done with tram rails.

Generally less than 500m

 

[Ploughman]

Crimple curve on the Leeds - Harrogate line was a case in point for precurved track panels at just above 200m radius.
They were also check railed.
Out of gauge conditions on consecutive weekends with track trains going opposite ways round the Harrogate circle