Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXX, Dec. 1910 | Page 3

October, 1909, gives the statistics for rail failures for six months from October 31, 1908, to April 30, 1909, as reported to the Committee. These statistics do show that the difference in section can be entirely annihilated by difference in chemical composition and by the treatment in furnace and mill.
"The results so far obtained from the heavy base A. R. A. sections are disappointing, as we have received some rail from the mills of the new section which was as bad as we did with the old A. S. C. E. section, showing that the quality of the rail does not depend entirely upon the section.
"The tests to be inaugurated by the Committee, combined with the results of the tests at Watertown and the performance of the rail in the track, will give us valuable data to aid us in coming to a final conclusion."
A careful study of the results already obtained, on both Bessemer and open-hearth steel rails, indicates that the next necessary step will be the use of a much heavier rail, and I think the sooner this is admitted and trial lots of say 1,000 tons each of 110-lb., 120-lb. and 130-lb. rails rolled, of Bessemer and open-hearth steel, and put in service under the most severe conditions, the sooner we will get rid of the present difficulties with our rails.
WM. R. WEBSTER.
"SPECIFICATIONS FOR STEEL RAILS.[E]
[Sidenote: Process of manufacture.]
"1. The entire process of manufacture shall be in accordance with the best current state of the art.
"(a) Ingots shall be kept in a vertical position until ready to be rolled, or until the metal in the interior has had time to solidify.
"(b) Bled ingots shall not be used.
[Sidenote: Chemical composition.]
"2. The chemical composition of the steel from which the rails are rolled shall be within the following limits:
=================+============================+============================ | BESSEMER. | OPEN-HEARTH. +-------------+--------------+-------------+-------------- |70 lbs. and | |70 lbs. and | | over, but |85 to 100 lbs.| over, but |85 to 100 lbs. |under 85 lbs.| inclusive. |under 85 lbs.| inclusive. -----------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+-------------- Carbon |0.40 to 0.50 |0.45 to 0.55 |0.53 to 0.66 |0.63 to 0.76 Manganese |0.80 to 1.10 |0.80 to 1.10 |0.70 to 1.00 |0.70 to 1.00 Silicon |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20 Phosphorus, | | | | not to exceed | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.04 | 0.04 Sulphur, | | | | not to exceed | 0.075| 0.075 | 0.06 | 0.06 =================+=============+==============+=============+==============
"3. When the average phosphorus content of the ingot metal used in the Bessemer Process at any mill is below 0.08 and in the Open-Hearth Process is below 0.03, the carbon shall be increased at the rate of 0.035 for each 0.01 that the phosphorus content of the ingot metal used averages below 0.08 for Bessemer steel, or 0.03 for Open-Hearth steel.
"The percentage of carbon in an entire order of rails shall average as high as the mean percentage between the upper and lower limits.
[Sidenote: Shearing.]
"4. The end of the bloom formed from the top of the ingot shall be sheared until the entire face shows sound metal.
"All metal from the top of the ingot, whether made from the bloom or the rail, is the top discard.
[Sidenote: Shrink]
"5. The number of passes and speed of train shall be so regulated that, on leaving the rolls at the final pass, the temperature of the rails will not exceed that which requires a shrinkage allowance at the hot saws, for a 33-ft. rail of 100 lb. section, of 6-1/2 in. for thick base sections and 6-3/4 in. for A. S. CC. E. sections, and 1/8 in. less for each ten pounds decrease of section, these allowances to be decreased at the rate of 1-100 in. for each second of time elapsed between the rail leaving the finishing rolls and being sawed.
"The bars shall not be held for the purpose of reducing their temperature, nor shall any artificial means of cooling them be used between the leading and finishing passes, nor after they leave the finishing pass.
[Sidenote: Section]
"6. The section of rail shall conform as accurately as possible to the templet furnished by the Railroad Company. A variation in height of 1-64 in. less or 1-32 in. greater than the specified height, and 1-16 in. in width of flange, will be permitted; but no variations shall be allowed in the dimensions affecting the fit of splice bars.
[Sidenote: Weight]
"7. The weight of the rail shall be maintained as nearly as possible, after complying with the preceding paragraph, to that specified in the contract.
"A variation of one-half of one per cent. from the calculated weight of section, as applied to an entire order, will be allowed.
"Rails will be accepted and paid for according to actual weight.
[Sidenote: Length]
"8. The standard length of rail shall be 33 ft.
"Ten per cent. of the