Noisy sections of rail

[Philip]

I've noticed in the last 10 years or so the number of loud sections of line, called roaring rail where corrugation ridges form on the surface, seems to have reduced considerably. Twenty years ago it was common in many areas to hear the train screaming or roaring over these fine ridges on the surface, but nowadays you hardly hear it at all. I'm guessing Network Rail regularly 'smooth' over the rails to prevent this happening, but why has this seemingly only become an issue to sort within recent years? Did no one bother about noisy rails up until the 2000s?

Are there any examples on any lines wherever in the country where you can still hear the roaring rail?

 

[snowball]

Following the Hatfield crash in 2000 and the resulting concern over gauge corner cracking, the rate of replacing rails was greatly increased. That may have something to do with it.

 

[edwin_m]

Following the Hatfield crash in 2000 and the resulting concern over gauge corner cracking, the rate of replacing rails was greatly increased. That may have something to do with it.

Also rail grinding, to take off the surface layer where small cracks might have formed before they have a chance to grow into large cracks.

I remember rail corrugation being a problem back into the 70s too, certainly on the WCML.

 

[tellytype]

The ECML over Holme Fen is certainly one of the more screamy sites...

 

[satisnek]

Also rail grinding, to take off the surface layer where small cracks might have formed before they have a chance to grow into large cracks.

I remember rail corrugation being a problem back into the 70s too, certainly on the WCML.

Yes, 'roaring rail' has been replaced with 'whining rail', and that's no bad thing.

Back in the late '70s/early '80s there was a classic example of roaring rail on the Up line across Whitmoor Common, to the north of Guildford. Standing on the platform at Worplesdon, trains approaching from the Guildford direction sounded much closer than they actually were!

 

[Philip]

In terms of local lines I can remember the eastbound Chat Moss line and the Bolton line being very noise back in the 90s and 2000s.

I know the Atherton and Mid-Cheshire lines still have little bits of loud rail and the Shrewsbury line is still noisy around Wrenbury, surprisingly.

 

[pompeyfan]

Semi related question... is there any particular reason 158s are particularly... flangey? Other 23m stock goes over the same bits of track but doesn’t create the same ear piercing screech. I’m surprised platform staff at a particular station haven’t started legal action, it can’t be good for their health.

 

[96tommy]

I wonder if this is the same problem on the Central Line.Theres a bit just before Bethnal green heading E/B which is awful. Never heard a rail so noisy.

 

[DanNCL]

The Durhan coast line on the approach to the high level bridge is very noisy; the noise is unbearably loud on a pacer, but even on a 156 it's still loud

 

[mrcheek]

The curve between Cardiff Queen Street and Central is often very loud, especially as it is served by so many pacers.

You can hear it in the Ibis Budget hotel

 

[Lrd]

I wonder if this is the same problem on the Central Line.Theres a bit just before Bethnal green heading E/B which is awful. Never heard a rail so noisy.

That's different, that's due to using a different type of chair (secures the rail to the sleeper) to reduce noise on the surface due to a lot of complaints from people living above the tunnel. Same for Wansted on the outer rail (westbound).

 

[edwin_m]

Semi related question... is there any particular reason 158s are particularly... flangey? Other 23m stock goes over the same bits of track but doesn’t create the same ear piercing screech. I’m surprised platform staff at a particular station haven’t started legal action, it can’t be good for their health.

Could be to do with the dampers fitted to increase the bogie's resistance to rotation (the horizontal shock absorbers you can see between the bogie and the body either side). If the bogie is too free to rotate it will be prone to lateral oscillation (hunting) above a certain speed, and fitting the dampers increases that critical speed. However it also make the bogie less able to align itself with the track, so flange contact is more likely on curves. 156s are only 75mph and don't need these dampers, but 158s and 170s (100mph units with basically the same bogie as the 156s) do have them.

 

[pompeyfan]

Could be to do with the dampers fitted to increase the bogie's resistance to rotation (the horizontal shock absorbers you can see between the bogie and the body either side). If the bogie is too free to rotate it will be prone to lateral oscillation (hunting) above a certain speed, and fitting the dampers increases that critical speed. However it also make the bogie less able to align itself with the track, so flange contact is more likely on curves. 156s are only 75mph and don't need these dampers, but 158s and 170s (100mph units with basically the same bogie as the 156s) do have them.

Really interesting. Thanks for the detailed reply. Makes complete sense.

 

[DarloRich]

Following the Hatfield crash in 2000 and the resulting concern over gauge corner cracking, the rate of replacing rails was greatly increased. That may have something to do with it.

Lots more rail grinding also helps prolong the life of the rail

 

[sw1ller]

There’s a section at Wrexham General on the up Wrexham off the Bidston line. At roughly 1 mile 0 chains. I use it as my braking point for the 15mph into the station. I’m new to the railway and always wondered why it sounds so different going over it. It doesn’t look any different but I’ve never actually got out to examine it.

 

[Ianno87]

In terms of local lines I can remember the eastbound Chat Moss line and the Bolton line being very noise back in the 90s and 2000s.

I know the Atherton and Mid-Cheshire lines still have little bits of loud rail and the Shrewsbury line is still noisy around Wrenbury, surprisingly.

Ah yes, you always used to get a good bit on the Down Line from Clifton towards the (now) M60 bridge.