
Just a few years ago, next to a passing railway line, you could often see rails carefully laid on wooden racks made of sleepers soaked in creosote. Supports with rails were located along the entire length of the track with an interval of a kilometer. They were placed there for a reason, but for a specific purpose.
1. Why were additional rails needed

The purpose of placing these additional elements was one - just in case. That is, they were needed to promptly eliminate the resulting breakdown. That is why such rails were called "kilometer stock". In our time, the situation has changed, and you can see such a phenomenon only on old, little-functional branches or where the path is butt (from whips or rail links).


The rail link did not always have the same length. Until 1917 (the pre-revolutionary period) the length was 10, 83 m, in the Soviet years - 12, 5 m, and after the Second World War - 25 m (they took German technology as a basis). As a result, at the joints, the wheelset of a carriage or a locomotive reproduced a knock - a characteristic sound and it was impossible to confuse it with anything. Yes, and he heard it quite often. This phenomenon is slowly becoming a thing of the past. On new railway lines, there is a "continuous track" of 800 meter long strings connected by a welded seam rather than by bolts with nozzles.

Trackers put special digital designations on the rails, for example, II-65-25.00, where:
- II - suitability group (receiving and departure routes - from 2, 3 to 5, and for the main ones - 1 and 2 groups);
2. Why haven’t these rails been stolen yet?

Based on their mass (a 25-meter rail weighs 1625 kg), it will not be possible to physically drag such a product away. But even if someone succeeded, and the thief with the rails got to the metal receiving point, they would not have been accepted without special official documents. This is a criminal offense.

Another point is the location of the "kilometer stock". Usually racks with rails are placed on railway tracks, where there are no other roads and entrances other than railways. They are delivered to the scene of the accident by special equipment.
It will be equally interesting to learn about railway picket: why a sign is needed, and why it is important for the driver.