Deerfield & Roundabout Railway Track & Wheel Data
(Scroll down for drawing notes. Revision 04-26-2009)
Notes for drawing DRTRK34 (Revision 04-26-2009)
1. A rail joint shall fulfill the following general requirements:
a. It shall so connect the rails that they will act as a continuous girder with uniform surface and
alignment.
b. Its resistance to deflection shall approach, as nearly as practicable, that of the rail to which it is
to be applied.
c. It shall prevent vertical or lateral movement of the ends of rails relative to each other, and unless
specified otherwise, it shall permit longitudinal movement necessary for expansion and contraction.
2. The following shall apply to all rail joints:
a. Unless otherwise specified or required by conditions, joints on opposite rails shall be staggered
for a distance of not less than 1 and 1/2 feet.
b. Unless otherwise specified or required by conditions, a tie shall be located centered longitudinally
under the ends of joined rails.
c. All burs, metal splatter or metal flow resulting from rail cutting, drilling or alignment operations
shall be removed to insure splice bars bear properly against rails.
d. No portion of the end of a rail shall extend beyond the head of the rail at the running surface and
the end surface of the head of a rail shall be perpendicular to the gage surface.
e. Splice bars before application shall not be bent from straight line condition in any direction. Tightening
of track bolts to straighten splice bars shall not be permitted.
f. Gage surfaces at ends of joined rails shall not vary laterally more than 1/64 inch.
g. Running surfaces at ends of joined rails shall not vary in elevation more than 1/32 inch.
h. Unless otherwise required by conditions, the track bolt nearest station zero and on the timetable
direction north rail shall be installed with the head on the gage side of the rail.
i. Unless otherwise required by conditions, the track bolt nearest station zero and on the timetable
direction south rail shall be installed with the head on the field side of the rail.
j. Additional track bolts shall be installed so heads alternate between gage side and field side of rails.
k. Track bolt nuts shall be tightened by hand only to provide a snug fit of the splice bars to the rails.
Excessive torque shall be avoided in order to prevent stripping threads.
3. The following shall apply only to 1 inch high aluminum rail joints:
a. Track bolts shall be stainless steel 5-40 unified national course (UNC) thread either 5/8 inch or 3/4
inch length under head.
b. Track bolts shall be either round head slotted or fillister head slotted.
c. Track bolt nuts shall be stainless steel 5-40 UNC thread elastic stop nut type.
d. Four D&RRY standard 1/2 inch high stainless steel splice bars with 4 punched oval holes shall be
used for each rail joint placing two splice bars on the field side and two splices bars on the gage side
of the rails.
e. When out in the field and holes must be drilled in rails to accept track bolts the following procedures
shall be used:
1. One D&RRY standard 1/2 inch high stainless steel splice bar with 4 punched oval holes shall be
clamped on the web of the rail(s) and used as a drilling jig.
2. The position of the splice bar used as a drilling jig shall be selected to place the newly drilled
holes in a similar location to holes that are normally punched or drilled in the rails.
3. Under circumstances where a rail has existing holes, either circular or oval, they may be used
for track bolts and to determine the position of the splice bar used as a drilling jig, unless a
newly drilled hole will be less than 3/16 inch from the end of the rail.
4. Holes shall be drilled parallel to the base of the rail and perpendicular to the gage surface.
5. Jobber or aircraft length 1/8 inch diameter twist drills shall be used to drill holes in the rail.
6. Drilled holes shall be started within the oval holes of the splice bar used as a drilling jig to
provide for expected expansion or contraction of the rails. Holes shall not be located that
prevent the movement of track bolts in the oval holes of the splice bars.
4. The following shall apply only to 12 pound steel rail joints:
a. Track bolts shall be steel 1/2-13 UNC thread either 1 and 3/4 inch or 2 inch length under head.
b. Track bolts shall be either oval neck, elliptic neck or hexagonal head cap type.
c. Track bolt nuts shall be steel 1/2-13 UNC thread either square or hexagonal shape.
d. Two D&RRY standard 12 pound steel rail steel splice bars shall be use for each rail joint placing
one splice bar on the field side and one splice bar on the gage side of the rails.
e. Splice bars having beveled top and bottom surfaces shall be oriented so angles of the splice bar
conform to the angles of the base and under the head of the rail.
f. A steel 1/2 inch inside diameter spring washer (split lock washer) shall be placed between the splice
bar and each track bolt nut.
g. When out in the field and holes must be drilled in rails to accept track bolts the following procedures
shall be used:
1. One D&RRY standard 12 pound steel rail steel splice bar with 4 oval or round holes shall be
clamped on the web of the the rail(s) and used as a drilling jig.
2. The position of the splice bar used as a drilling jig shall be selected to place the newly drilled
holes in a similar location to holes that are normally punched in the rails.
3. Under circumstances where a rail has existing holes, they may be used for track bolts and to
determine the position of the splice bar used as a drilling jig, unless a newly drilled hole will be
less than 1 inch from the end of the rail.
4. Holes shall be drilled parallel to the base of the rail and perpendicular to the gage surface.
5. A twist drill having a diameter the same as the minor dimension of the holes in the splice bar
used as a drilling jig shall be used to drill initial holes in the rail.
6. The splice bar used as a drilling jig shall be removed and a 5/8 inch diameter twist drill shall
be used to enlarge the previously drilled holes.