this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2024
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What is this thing?

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Stenciling says "6 & 7TH / PDE & 3RD" It's the only pink tie on this track.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 9 months ago (2 children)

It’s marking the joint between two track segments. Look just above it. On both tracks there’s a series of bolts indicating that two track segments have been bolted together.

Not sure why the other joints aren’t marked.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

if that was an insulated joint for track circuit separation there would be cables attached at each side and the two bolted plates would be aligned?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You can see 3-4 wires connected on either side of the plates.

I'm not sure if those particular plates are insulating connections though. Doesn't really look like it, but I'm no expert on rail connections.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

good spot, those wires are smaller than I am used to seeing - so it is a track circuit boundary as well as whatever the pink means.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago

Rail is most often welded together, not joined like this.

So you likely don't need more than one marking.