ok, dumb question time, due to arguing with another person. He is stating that the NWP rails up here in Humboldt have to be replaced due to age.

His statement:

Quote:

Highboldtage
Well where I lived there was the double track AT & SF main line into Los Angeles, but there was also a siding that was maybe a quarter mile long. It was used maybe once a week. They actually replaced the siding tracks more often.

Previous statement:

Quote:

Highboldtage
Cap, I saw AT & SF replace their rails 3 times in 15 years. It is my life experience, viewed with my own eyes. Rails wear out, even if they are in disuse. Rust, metal fatigue, land subsidence.

My thing is rails don't wear out when disused, you don't replace rails unless there is a reason, such as worn out, defects, or upgrade them.

Why would there be a 1/4 mile sliding next to double track mainline(seems short), and why would they replace those rails more often, than the mainline? I don't see that happening at all. How often does the rails get replaced on heavy traffic lines?

Going off memory here, so don't kill me on details. There was an ad in the back of this month's Trains mag, for a school over internet, to be FRA certified in track inspection. I feel I'm greatly lacking in knowledge, however I don't know about price, or how good this school is. I don't want a diploma mill.