Rail is welded at a plant into strings commonly about a quarter mile long, hauled out on a special rail train, and then welded together in the field into continuous welded rail that can run unbroken for miles. Eliminating joints gives a smoother ride, less wheel and rail wear and far less maintenance. The tradeoff is thermal stress: ribbon rail has to be laid and adjusted at the right temperature or it buckles in summer and pulls apart in winter.
Rail train's unloading ribbon rail along the main from MP 200 west, watch for strings lying on the ballast shoulder.
Also heard as
- CWR
- continuous welded rail
- welded rail
- string rail
Related terms
Sun kink
A sideways buckle in welded rail caused by heat, which can throw the track out of line under a train.
Pull-apart
A break in the rail, usually at a joint or weld, caused by the rail shrinking in extreme cold.
MOW
Maintenance of way: the department and crews that build and maintain track, bridges and roadbed.
Plug
A short piece of rail cut into the track to replace a section with a defect or a break.