Western Railroad Discussion > Why Does Track Across Bridges Have Extra Rail?

Just as the question states. Why do tracks over bridges have, for want of a better term, an extra set of rails? The train doesn't run on it.

To keep derailed cars from going off.

Check Rail, to try to keep derailed cars from going off bridges or steep terrain. They are also used in tunnels.

Also called guard rails. Helps keep derailed cars from going off the bridge an potentially damaging the bridge itself, which could get very expensive.

Have also seen them in pics on some of the old narrow gauge railroads ,on sharp curves.Supposed to ease the "stringline effect".
Regards,Daryl Kay.

As stated previously...the intention is to keep derailed cars from going over the side in the case of you're picture....they can also be seen around overpasses where a derailed car might want to wander and strike a support column for a hwy bridge. These "guard" rails are usually referred to as "Bull" rails so as not to confuse with a real guard rail...the type which keeps the flanges from picking the points of a frog thru a turnout. I have not in my 12 yrs. seen a bull rail in a tunnel....not saying they don't exist..just I haven't seen them used in a tunnel.

Numerous non-bridge locations on the old Rio Grande narrow gauge system have such rails - typically sharp curves and steep ledges. The D&S "High Line" and the C&TS around Rock Tunnel both have them.

Photo resembles S.A. River crossing of Olive Sub, Am I close?

SteveD Wrote:
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> Photo resembles S.A. River crossing of Olive Sub,
> Am I close?

Des-Lab is the Trainorders resident authority on the Olive Sub, so yes it is the Santa Ana River bridge. Des-Lab has recorded on film every mile and probably every crosstie on the line. If someday the Olive Sub is no more (not likely), railfans will be glad someone took the time to record the Subdivision for posterity. There are numerous branch lines and many main lines that I wish someone has done the same thing for.

You guys getting Santa Ana winds down there? That is as clear an image of the San Gabriel/San Bernardino Mountains from a distance as I've seen in a while.

Graybeard of the North (LA Basin escapee)

I think the modern trend is to get away from the guard rails. Check photos of the Keddie
Wye bridge and I think I remember that one leg has them and the other doesnt.

Roger B

All of the tunnels in Tehachapi Pass had guard rails at one time.

Speaking of guard rails on curves, I have a slide in my collection taken from the rear platform of an SP heavyweight observation car showing a guard rail on a curve on the Cascade line in the late 1940s (I don't think this was a regular train but some sort of special going to a convention or something). I have never seen any other photos showing a curve guard rail on an SP main line.

At least that sign doesn't say: ' Don't stand in the middle of the tracks ! '
Of course, the rest of us 'never' do that . . ( Do we ? ) 'Dogh

Thanks guys for all the replies. Now that's something I never even thought of-the whole protection in the event of a derailment. Never even crossed my mind. Now in the case of this (as well as my Cotton Belt question), I could've probably done some online digging and answered the question for myself. But I know that many of you are walking encyclopedias on train stuff and enjoy answering questions like this and sharing your knowledge.

Now if any of you want to know anything about reel to reel or cassette tape recording, or airliner stuff from the 1990's, I'll be glad to reciprocate. In those areas, I'll tell you anything you want to know.

And yes, this is the Santa Ana River bridge on the Olive Sub. Facing due north. Took that picture about 15 minutes before ye olde #800 showed up last weekend. I have documented the line in very good detail. And still take occasional pictures. It's a hobby, I enjoy it. And I know that someday, even if the line never does get scrapped, things will change and they will eventually be vintage. I'm not sure I have every cross tie. I may have missed a few. If I did, I'll go out and take those pictures too.

Not in a tunnel or on a bridge but not an every day sight none-the-less. This is on the trolley line in Memphis where it crosses a line that AMTRAK uses. I don't know who owns what tracks. I just happened to be riding and did a grab shot.

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On the Brea hills in the middle distance from left to right: The Brea Olinda landfill(behind the no traipsing sign), the GE repair facility (tan building actually at the next grade crossing), the Diemer filtration plant, and the future (eventually, maybe) Yorba Linda high school (Igraded that two years ago).


TCS - still looking for the ones he hasn't shot yet.

I did some follow-up research on guard rails in Tehachapi tunnels. They were installed in 1906 after a series of damaging derailments in tunnels (the tunnels were lined with wood timbers then). Tunnel guard rails show up in photographs taken in the '40s but I haven't seen them in photos taken right after the 1952 Tehachapi earthquake.

What spot, shot, or angle on the Olive are you looking for? I have just about every conceivable view that can be had without doing some real stupid trespassing-such as actually ON the bridges. Or right at Struck......where the nice Police station abuts the tracks. If those are what you are looking for, ain't gonna get them from me. Everything else, I [think] I have.

I'll go have a looksie, I am invisible.


TCS - time to drop by the k to the d to the c to the lunch

I,ll bet the old SP wished they had guard rails on the Cantera Loop back in 1989 when they dumped a tank car load of herbicide into the Sacramento River causing a ecological catastraphy.