RMNE is getting a donation of siding rail from a local industry. The web is marked "Bethlehem Open Hearth 100 B II 1915" (Feb. 1915), and the section is 5.5" base, 2.75" wide head, just under 6" height (a couple 16ths under). I looked it up in an extensive listing I have of rail sections, and could not find it... ARA-B does not match the dimensions, and that's the only "100 B" I could find.

Do any of you know what rail section this is, who used it, etc.?

hpincus@mindspring.com

The only section I can find besides 100 ARA-A is
100 NH which was used by the NY. NH&H.

> RMNE is getting a donation of siding rail
> from a local industry. The web is marked
> "Bethlehem Open Hearth 100 B II
> 1915" (Feb. 1915), and the section is
> 5.5" base, 2.75" wide head, just
> under 6" height (a couple 16ths under).
> I looked it up in an extensive listing I
> have of rail sections, and could not find
> it... ARA-B does not match the dimensions,
> and that's the only "100 B" I
> could find.

> Do any of you know what rail section this
> is, who used it, etc.?


brianbastow@stoneconsulting.com

> The only section I can find besides 100
> ARA-A is
> 100 NH which was used by the NY. NH&H.

Being in Connecticut, we know the 100-107 NH sections with our eyes closed!! Our Naugatuck Railroad has 12+ miles of that stuff.

This 100-B is a real mystery. Thanks to those who have replied with info on various rail sections.


hpincus@mindspring.com

> the section is 5.5" base,
2.75" wide head,
just under 6" height
(a couple 16ths under). <
L. B. Foster's extensive table (on page I-35
of their catalog) gives those dimensions for
100 lb. A(merican)R(ailway)A(ssociation)-A
and also 100 lb. N(ew)Y(ork).N(ew)H(aven)
&H(artford). For both sections, the new hight
was 6 inches. The most obvious difference
between the 2 is the elevation of the bolt hole
center from the bottom of the base:
NY.NH&H = 2-39/64
ARA-A = 2-3/4 (2-48/64)
Since the difference in Fishing Depth (where the
splice bars go) is only 1/32", the bars are
probably physically interchangable. See if the
bolt hole spacing on original (not torch cut)
rail end holes matches New Haven standards. (I
hope someone saved the New Haven's M of W
standards book, I only have Pennsy and Reading
books.)
100B is probably Bethlehem Steel's part number.
In Pennsylvania, we encounter a lot of 100K,
which is Bethlehem's number for
100 lb. P(hiladelphia)&R(eading) and
100 lb. R(eading)C(ompany).
A rail company called "Maryland" (now Bethlehem's
Sparrows Point?) used 3 digit part numbers.


TyburnRR@cs.com

An interesting mystery. My list of Bethlehem rail sections includes 100, 100A, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100K, 100-OM, 100GN . . . and no 100 B.

Cambria Steel did list the 100 NYNH-H as 100B.

Alan Maples

AMaples@aol.com

> A rail company called "Maryland"
> (now Bethlehem's
> Sparrows Point?) used 3 digit part numbers.

Affarmative on Maryland Steel = Sparrws Point. From the Beth Steel Coporate History:

1916 - E.G. Grace named president of Bethlehem with C.M. Schwab continuing as chairman of the board.

Bethlehem acquires American Iron & Steel Mfg. Co., Pennsylvania Steel Co. and Maryland Steel Co. with steel operations in Lebanon and Steelton, Pa., and Sparrows Point, Md., coal mines in West Virginia and iron ore mines in Pennsylvania.



eledbetter@rypn.org

> An interesting mystery. My list of Bethlehem
> rail sections includes 100, 100A, 100C,
> 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100K, 100-OM, 100GN
> . . . and no 100 B.

> Cambria Steel did list the 100 NYNH-H as
> 100B.

> Alan Maples

Once again, "Interchange" proves its worth!!! Locos, cars, debates about "real vs. replica", even track!!!

Alan:

You got it.... considering the location of the "100 B" stuff, it's probably 100 NH from an "alternate" vendor.

Did Beth Steel take over Cambria?

James B.:

From the overall dimensions, it looked like it would mate with 100-107 NH easily... and I suspect the drilling is the same, too.

One of our guys has most of an NYNH&H track standards book, rather dog-eared, but quite useful. Not everything we'd like to know is in there, but enough good stuff is.

The 100 NH is generally older, from 1898 to about 1915. The 107 NH dates go from 1915 or so up to 1929. The 107 NH is 1/8" higher than the 100 NH, but once the stuff is worn, it makes little difference.

Thanks, guys.


hpincus@mindspring.com

> Did Beth Steel take over Cambria?

Yes:

1923 - Bethlehem acquires Cambria Steel Co. and Midvale Steel & Ordnance Co. with steel operations and coal mines in the Johnstown, Pa., area.

eledbetter@rypn.org

Can anyone tell me what is the equivalent size of Maryland 235 to AREMA standards?

Maryland 235 is the same thing as 85 ASCE. AREMA no longer exercises any jurisdiction over rails that weigh less than 115 pounds per yard.

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G Lovejoy, P.E.

Thank you. AREMA only showed 236 and 237 equivalents.

Howard,

Here is the data I'm showing for New Haven 100# rail.

Richard Wilkens


NYNH&H 100

Illinois Steel - 10034/10044

Tennesee - 10034

Carnegie - 10034/100N

Lackawanna - 1002

Bethlehem - 100B/100NH

Maryland Steel - 100



Profile Data

Height - 6.0000

Base - 5.5000

Head - 2.7500

Web - 0.5938

Depth of Base - 0.9375

Fishing - 3.3438

Depth of Head - 1.7188

Here are the different roll marks for 85 ASCE

Richard Wilkens


Illinois - 8540/8504

Tennessee - 8540/850

Carnegie - 8540/85A

Cambria - 531

Bethlehem - 85A/235

Maryland - 235

Lackawanna - 850

Colorado - 851

Algoma - 124

Dominion - 8503

OEM vendors even back then...heh

I was thinking check with the donor tracks connections that these rails were connected to for adapting ideas, not this group has already the wherewithall to idea-ize that, sounds like a cost cutting thing by the original buyer.

I have serious trouble with RAIL dimensions to the "nearest" TEN THOUSANDTH of an inch. This is RAIL, not aircraft parts after all! I doubt that the original specifications were any more accurate than the nearest 5 thousandths. And without a doubt when manufactured these rails were lucky to be much less than +/-30 thousandths of the standard dimensions.