@BillYo414 posted:@Dougklink Is UP track all welded rail? or is that just more common out west?
It's interesting that you should ask this about UPRR, since Union Pacific was one of the last Class 1 railroads to give up installing jointed rail. While it was installing welded rail on some lines, it also installed new 78 foot jointed rail on the line between Riverside and Los Angeles, California. This is gone now, but was still immaculately maintained up until the early 1980s.
But, all U S Class 1 roads have installed only welded rail for years. In some cases, welded rail that was replaced by newer welded rail, has been re-laid on secondary lines with lighter tonnages and lower speeds.
Still, there's some main line stick rail remaining in use here and there, though welded rail predominates everywhere.
