Rail Welding

Railroad workers weld two pieces of ribbon rail together. The first clip shows a torch pre-heating the molds. The second clip shows the actually lighting of the material to make the weld, and then the slap running out of the aluminum bucket and into the molds. Excess slag runs out of the sides into the attached trays.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Trains

[ncrailfan]

Is that thermite welding?

[RKWproductions]

Yes, it is. The whole process takes about an hour, but I had to condense it.

[Haarmonics]

This is something you don't see every day! Thanks for posting that. If you have any videos to show more of the process, I'll be checking them out as well. I just stumbled upon this one when doing a search on "Welded Aluminum"

[livestockdana]

thermite?

[TwoGamerGeeks]

1:22 Fire in da hole!

[trackend]

WW2 incendiary bombs contained the same stuff and could burn right though a house from top to bottom setting it alight as it went

[rc8rsracer]

@rrrtbds12223 probably ceramic

[rc8rsracer]

@RKWproductions it takes an hour? why not stick weld it than

[1977kb0wqh1996]

Essentially, all thermite rail welding is the setting down of a foundry on the rail and it will mold into the existing rail? Am I correct?

[rrrtbds12223]

what is that can made of?

[TheMrBlinx]

@livestockdana Yes, Thermite is composed of 50% aluminum powder and 50% ferric oxide (rust; oxidizing agent). It burns white-hot. Can not be lit with match - takes a magnesium ribbon, which can be lit with a match. Thermite grenades are used by the military. Example: you can't take a vehicle with you, but you don't want the enemy to use it against you: you put a Thermite grenade on the engine block and leave. It burns right through it.

[ItsVagTastic]

my dad works for cn and does this for a job

[railman247]

you can have that job that is the hottest job on the railroad after you shot 6 welds in aug. down south