eastanglianrailways.myfreeforum.org

nebulaman · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 188

A question popped up on another site about this phenomenom. There are so many stories about how this occurs from hollow rail to marshland but the real reason is this:

Roaring rail is the loud rattling sound you get on certain sections of track. It sound different depending on how the track is jointed i.e continous weld or fishplated. The axles on train wheels do not have a differential (used on road vehicles to enable the outer wheel to travel the greater distance than the inner one on cornering). The train rocks from side to side causing the axle to yaw (move left to right rapidly). During the short time the outer wheel has to catch up with the inner wheel causes the outer wheel to skid. After a while a chequer board effect can be seen on the railhead. This leads to uneven wear across the rail head and causes subsequent trains to produce the roaring rail. It is initially caused mostly by units but any train can make the sound once the rail head has been damaged.

It is more common on bends but can be found on straights. Areas that I know are Strumpshaw (UP Lowestoft coming into Brundall) and Oulton Broad North (Down road after Borrow road bridge although it has now been ground out and no longer exists). Many more do exist in this area.

Hope this puts a few old mothers tales to bed!

Owen · Joined: 14 Apr 2007 Posts: 229 Location: Diss, Norfolk

Thats quite interesting. I think on the Bittern Line ar Roughton Road the line has the same effect. The track seems to become noisier and the train jolts around a bit more.

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