Special Rail Services
Beyond rail and standard accessories, Birmingham Rail offers specialized solutions including expansion joints that absorb the thermal movement of expanding and contracting rail to protect your runway from buckling and stress. For rail set directly in concrete, we also furnish anchor bolt and leveling plate assemblies that hold the rail at exact elevation and alignment while it is embedded and set.
Expansion Joints
Steel rail expands and contracts with changing temperatures, and without room to move, that thermal force can buckle rail in the heat or pull joints apart in the cold. Birmingham Rail expansion joints give that movement a controlled place to go. Using an angled rail cut and slotted bolt holes, our expansion joints allow the rail to lengthen and shorten freely while the joint bars hold everything in precise alignment for a smooth, continuous running surface. The result is a runway that manages thermal movement safely, protecting your rail from the stress, buckling, and separation that unmanaged expansion can cause.
Each expansion joint is manufactured to your application. When ordering, please specify:
- Rail Section so the joint bars match your rail profile.
- Diameter of Bolt for a correct, tight-fitting assembly.
- Length of Slotted Hole (D) to set the amount of expansion and contraction the joint will accommodate.
Anchor Bolt & Leveling Plate Assemblies For Installation of Rail in Concrete
When rail is set directly into a concrete foundation, it needs a mounting system that delivers both a secure hold and precise alignment. Birmingham Rail anchor bolt and leveling plate assemblies provide exactly that. The anchor bolts embed into the concrete with a bent leg that locks firmly in place, while the leveling plate sits atop them to create an adjustable mounting surface. Using the threaded bolts, the rail can be raised, lowered, and fine-tuned to the exact required elevation and alignment, then locked down for a permanent, stable foundation. Rail clips securing the rail to the plate may be welded or bolted, to suit your installation.
Each assembly is manufactured to your specifications. When ordering, please provide:
Anchor Bolts
- A. Length of anchor bolt
- B. Length of thread
- C. Length of leg
- D. Diameter of bolt
Leveling Plate
- E. Width of plate
- F. Center hole to center hole
- G. Edge of plate to center hole
- H. Height of plate
- J. Center hole to center hole
- K. Edge of plate to center hole
- L. Edge of plate to mid center hole
- M. Hole diameter
- T. Plate thickness