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Philly
Railfan Pictures of the Week
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| Railfan Pictures of the Week - 11/10/2024 |
| Part Four of Main Street Track 1 grade crossing replacement at Lansdale Station. Part One is here, Part Two is here, Part Three is here. |
| One of the last items to be completed before the new track could be put in service were the track welds. Thermite welding in the field is always interesting to watch. Here the sand mold has already been fitted on the joint and the torch is being used to heat up the rails. |
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| Once the rails were hot enough, they prepare to place the ceramic vessel that contains the aluminum and iron oxide mixture over the joint. |
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| The torch is then used to light the mixture. |
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| Once the mixture reaches the right temperature, about 2400 degrees Fahrenheit, the molten metal flows into the joint and the excess is diverted into pans on either side of the mold. |
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| After all the mixture is exhausted, the excess is discarded and the mold disassembled. |
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| Finally the flash around the joint is removed. |
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| Website created January 1, 2017 |
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