03-10-2015, 09:04 PM
I've seen rail get welded together, it's a pretty quick process... I think it was a friction welding machine of some sort, we just were lifting the machine up for the welding company that was doing it, they were out of Chicago. The the olden days they used to use stick welding to do it and it required diligent pre and post heating to ensure a good bond. Nowadays the machines do it very quickly and make a better weld.
I think there's only a couple steel mills in the states that roll rail in North America right now, one of them is in steelton, pennsylvania and is owned by the same company that owns Dofasco in Hamilton. Rail steel is a bit different than regular mild steel so that's why they do it in special mills. Another place, EVRAZ Pueblo in Colorado makes rail too but I've only worked at Dofasco so I'm not familar with their operations. I dunno if any other mills in the USA make rail anymore.
I think there's only a couple steel mills in the states that roll rail in North America right now, one of them is in steelton, pennsylvania and is owned by the same company that owns Dofasco in Hamilton. Rail steel is a bit different than regular mild steel so that's why they do it in special mills. Another place, EVRAZ Pueblo in Colorado makes rail too but I've only worked at Dofasco so I'm not familar with their operations. I dunno if any other mills in the USA make rail anymore.