Holding the weight of mammoth trains and allowing them to travel for vast distances, the rail I guess you could say is the backbone of the railroad. The letter "I" typically represents its shape. A section of rail pitched aside after a thermite weld, shows this unique design. To ensure a stable and even weld, a 1 inch gap is cut from the rail ends. From top to bottom its parts goes as follows, HEAD- thick absorbs impact of wheels and carries load of train, WEB- keeps train off the ground and allows clearance for the wheel and its flange from crossties, and FOOT- space for clamping to crossties and wide to transfer weight to the ties and ballast... Yet again another small part that makes the big picture called "Railroading" work.
