Matt Farnsworth Wrote:
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> So railroads have done away with the comp bar
> then? I had wondered how different weights of
> rail were joined on class1’s, I’m used to seeing
> shortlines with a mix of just about everything
> from 85lb to 133lb, with comp bars littered all
> over the place at the various points where rail
> weights mixed. An 85-115 comp bar set is just
> about one of the stranger looking things I have
> seen!
> Matt F
> Moscow ID

Comp bars are alive and well on most shortlines and many Class I yard tracks. Problem with comps is they generally have to be in matched pairs to align both the gauge and top running surfaces. Most of the time you have two "gauge" or "field" bars but not a matched set so have to end up grinding or welding to make them fit. Then there's always the problem of the hole spacing in the comp not matching the rail that already has holes drilled and you have to cut the rail anyway.

Comp weld kits on the other hand come complete with everything needed for one "shot" and once the weld is ground you have a good solid chunk of steel without any bolts to keep tight. A thermite weld kit costs about the same as a pair of comp bars with bolts and the labor to shoot a weld is comparable to installing a pair of bars.

We have a HUGE pile of various combinations of comp bars none of which fits any of our rail but too good to scrap.

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railroad