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Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"??

From tls@panix.com (Thor Lancelot Simon)
Newsgroups nyc.transit
Subject Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"??
Date 2025-10-07 22:14 +0000
Organization Public Access Networks Corp.
Message-ID <10c43c6$15c$1@reader2.panix.com> (permalink)
References <Pine.NEB.4.64.2510062000350.5657@panix2.panix.com> <10c1q3g$tre$1@gal.iecc.com>

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In article <10c1q3g$tre$1@gal.iecc.com>, John Levine  <johnl@taugh.com> wrote:
>According to danny burstein  <dannyb@panix.com>:
>>. Improvements so far include the replacement of 128 bridge spans that 
>>connect tracks, column to column; the addition of 12,800 feet of new 
>>aluminum third-rail; and the addition of 6,500 feet of signal cables, 
>>25,000 feet of new running rail, and over 40,000 feet of new communication 
>>cables.
>>      ======
>>rest:
>>https://www.amny.com/nyc-transit/park-avenue-viaduct-metro-north-10062025/
>>
>>   huh?  aluminium third-rail ??  Is that legit?  Thanks
>
>Sure.  Here's a company that makes them, aluminum with a steel cap.
>
>https://www.rail-fastener.com/the-third-rail.html
>
>Aluminum conducts much better than steel so I'd expect the power losses to
>be lower, and in new construction you could put the power feeds further apart.
>
>It says "The conductivity of aluminum alloy is 3-4 times that of low carbon steel."

The conductor is so large, I doubt the lower resistance of aluminum vs steel
matters much.  Losses _in the 3rd rail_ should be truly minimal.

However, aluminum 3rd rail with a steel wear strip is much lighter than solid
steel rail and that has to make life a whole lot nicer for anyone installing,
removing, or maintaining it.

-- 
Thor Lancelot Simon	                                     tls@panix.com
  "The liberties...lose much of their value whenever those who have greater
   private means are permitted to use their advantages to control the course
   of public debate."					-John Rawls

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Thread

huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> - 2025-10-06 20:02 +0000
  Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? John Levine <johnl@taugh.com> - 2025-10-07 01:24 +0000
    Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? tls@panix.com (Thor Lancelot Simon) - 2025-10-07 22:14 +0000
      Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> - 2025-10-07 22:34 +0000
      Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? Ruben Safir <mrbrklyn@panix.com> - 2025-10-07 23:15 +0000
      Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? Ruben Safir <mrbrklyn@panix.com> - 2025-10-07 23:20 +0000
    Re: huh? "12,800 feet of new aluminum third-rail"?? Ruben Safir <mrbrklyn@panix.com> - 2025-10-07 23:13 +0000

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