Rail joint assembly having forged rail joint bars

A rail joint assembly comprising:

• a first rail having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion, the first rail having a first side and a second side;
• a second rail having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion, the second rail having a first side and a second side, an end of the first rail configured to abut an end of the second rail;
• a first rail joint bar comprising a body having a first end, a second end positioned opposite from the first end, a first side, a second side positioned opposite from the first side, a top portion positioned between the first and second sides, and a bottom portion positioned between the first and second sides and positioned opposite from the top portion, the body having a first section adjacent to the first end of the body, a second section adjacent to the second end of the body, and an intermediate section positioned between the first section and the second section;
• and
• a second rail joint bar comprising a body having a first end, a second end positioned opposite from the first end, a first side, a second side positioned opposite from the first side, a top portion positioned between the first and second sides, and a bottom portion positioned between the first and second sides and positioned opposite from the top portion, the body having a first section adjacent to the first end of the body, a second section adjacent to the second end of the body, and an intermediate section positioned between the first section and the second section,
• wherein the second side of the body of the first and second rail joint bars each include a first protrusion and a second protrusion spaced from the first protrusion, the first and second protrusions each having a length defined by an axis extending from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, a width defined by an axis extending from the first side of the body to the second side of the body, and a height defined by an axis extending from the top portion to the bottom portion of the body, the width of the first protrusion at the intermediate section of the body is larger than the width of the first protrusion at the first and second sections of the body, wherein the length of each of the first and second protrusions extends from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, and wherein the first rail joint bar is configured to abut the first sides of the first and second rails with the intermediate section of the first rail joint bar overlapping the ends of the first and second rails in a direction extending along a longitudinal axis of the first and second rails and the second rail joint bar is configured to abut second sides of the first and second rails with the intermediate section of the second rail joint bar overlapping the ends of the first and second rails in a direction extending along a longitudinal axis of the first and second rails.