Originally Posted by
cudak888
This is merely a thought, and I haven't checked the FRA regs. in regards to this:
Considering the weight of the railcars vs. an 175lb person on a 20 pound bike, what prevents a strip of rubber - hard enough to remain rigid under a bicycle and its rider, but soft enough to deflect from the wheel flange of a 50 ton railcar - from being inserted in any gap that doesn't contain switch points?
-Kurt
Nothing -- that's called flangeway filler, and it's a commercially-available product. It costs more and does wear out eventually, so it's usually used only at intersections, not along an entire line.