Apparatus and Method of Flash Butt Welding of Railway Lines

A flash butt welding process for joining axially aligned sections of railway line, the process including the step of:

• a. aligning the sections of railway line axially using alignment clamping means, and attaching a vibration apparatus on the railway line, and vibrating the line at a low frequency of vibration and amplitude of vibration, such inputs being preset and are adjustable during the process by a vibration control means adapted to measure the frequency and amplitude of vibration;
• b. welding sections of aligned railway line together using a flash butt welding means and by applying electrical current to the sections of railway line and raising the temperature of the line to a suitable temperature, and longitudinally separating and then flashing and forging by pressing together the ends of the railway line with force, and applying vibration to the sections of railway line until the flash butt weld is complete;
• and after releasing the clamping means
• c. applying vibration to the welded sections of railway line for a period of time sufficient to allow heat to dissipate from the weld area, and to allow for the weld area to be stress relieved.