LORAM RAIL GRINDER. To Close! OUCH!!

Summer of 1993, got to close filming this grinder. As it past, the wind changed direction and blew sparks at my legs but managed to get the shot! Never again will I get that close!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• LORAM
• rail grinder
• sparks
• fire
• burns

[tjmfishing]

what the heck does that do, file the railheads?

[mygirl22ward]

Yes. Over time the curved surface of the railhead becomes flat from wear, the grinding stones shape the rail back to its original form. Cheaper than replacing the rails for sure!

[TRAVAM91]

im surprised they didnt stop the train and tell ya to get back.. i filmed one of the loram rail grinder sets a couple years ago just as you did and they sounded a siren before the set passed me.

[Rickstrains]

don't worry about the sparks, it's the grinding wheels shattering that will kill you!

[genenco1]

Pretty cool, always wondered how they maintained the flat surface.

[Reds15OO]

your poor legs

[Zebrails]

The curve of the wheel from flange to the outside of the wheel is considered the "Transmission" which allows the wheels to essentially adjust from inside to outside of rail curves.

Grinding the rails is needed, due to "Mushrooming" of the railhead. This is similar to your basic hammer losing its flat head.

Some railroads merely swap the rails, in order to save a bit of time replacing to brand-new rails.

Trains Mag' had an article: What should be harder, the wheels or the rails?

[4Mr2ThC0]

@mygirl22ward

its not due to a flattening of the rail, but more of a washboard effect creating a bumpy ride and not a good surface for grip...

[jctolley1]

The LORAM still visits BNSF in Barstow on a regular basis.

[rl6050]

This machine actually just recently got taken out of service so its kind of neat to see it when it was brand new i worked on it the last year that its worked

[trinityct]

Ugh!!! The smell from that must've been horrible!!!! :P

[dammitdarrell]

@thechoosendude The rail tops are round so that the train will be self centering on the rails. The physics is a little bit unintuitive. Train wheels have solid axles, so left and right wheels always turn at the same speed. The wheels have a profile that causes the wheel to ride on the larger diamater part when the train is off center. This causes that side to go a greater distance then the other which tends to push the train back to the center.