Rolla - Lebanon Subdivision - Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) Or Ribbon Rail Inquiry

Today, I am on a bus headed up to St. Louis to play football tomorrow. Just outside Sullivan the line finally came back into view for the first time in a while and I notice that it was short sections of jointed rail and not welded or ribbon rail. I know that back in the days of the Frisco, this was a lot more active line than it is now. Did it use to be ribbon rail at some point or has it always been jointed?

Also, I know this is the wrong division, but around Willow Springs, BNSF has installed concrete ties. Noticed that last weekend on the way to Mt. View.

Ethan

 

Ethan,

As far as I know it was jointed rail during the Frisco era, but portions mainly curves have been converted to welded.

Brad Slone

 

The Rolla and Lebanon Subdivisions were laid with 132lb jointed rail, which was put down during the 50's. The last, new 132lb conventional rail was put down during 1960. During the late 70's the Frisco began replacing the jointed rail, and as Brad notes, the curves were the first to receive CWR. On sharper curves "Curvemaster" CWR was laid. Curvemaster rail was produced by US Steel, and it was "head hardened" to reduce wear.

 

There was a significant rebuild of the line closer to St. Louis through Kirkwood in conjunction with re-surfacing of the Big Bend/Geyer intersection in the late-summer, early-autumn of 2010. There was new tie and rail installation as well as line and surface work. The rail replacement was all jointed rail, however.

George