TRACKS TO TOMORROW

an atlas missile modified to orbit the earth symbol of the space age and here a symbol of the atomic age a nuclear submarine is launched like the rocket a potent addition to national defense and at the same time a practical proving ground for peacetime applications of america's newest industrial and scientific achievements for the generation of atomic electric power equipment of great size is required this is the heart of a new atomic power plant it's a nuclear reactor vessel weight almost 100 tons rolling smoothly along to the construction side of the enrico fermi atomic power plant near detroit in the midst of all the headlines about the atomic age the space age the jet age some take the established ways of doing things for granted yet here in the thick of all the progress we find the familiar reliable workhorse the railroad playing an indispensable role moving not only big bulky objects like the reactor vessel but also the major share of many other elements that will help shape america's future this is a report on modern trains and tracks as important in the construction of nuclear power plants as the railroads were when they first pierced america's frontier and welded the nation together to many the rails of today look about the same as the ones of years ago but they're heavier and many many times stronger now the first iron rails weighed about 50 pounds per yard modern steel rails weigh three times that much and more and lengths are increasing too with shorter sections being discarded sometimes in favor of continuous rail continuous rail has its joints welded together into lengths of a mile or more giving a smoother track longer service life and lower cost of upkeep at the same time track laying machinery is evidence that tools and construction methods also have progressed along the only tax-paying general transportation right-of-way owned and maintained by private enterprise another result of railroad investment and modernization is a new kind of terminal where automatic devices have speeded the switching and sorting of freight cars after the cars are uncoupled they're allowed to run down a slope while a control tower man sets the switches that put each one on the right track among the buttons are some that will slow down or stop a car by causing retarders in the track to squeeze the sides of the car wheels in some yards special tape systems make possible the automatic classification of an entire train by pushing a single button every time the railroads introduce something new the diesel for example a chain reaction is touched off spreading throughout industry to illustrate the new locomotive sparked improvement of fuel and lubricating oils they called for new maintenance and repair procedures and they spawned a whole new concept of shop facilities along with a host of other inventions and devices that now have become an established part of railroading railroad research and development are continuous processes that involve such modern tools as this detector car as it rolls along the car employs electromagnetism to make sure there are no hidden flaws in the rails the tests help keep the track in top condition while providing data that leads to further improvement the focal point of the search for new and better ways of railroading is the research center of the association of american railroads on the campus of the illinois institute of technology in chicago this test is part of the search for longer lasting cross ties this one helps the experts study the effect of friction heating when brakes are applied to trains moving at high speed a test hammer with a force of 27 000 pounds is among the research tools available at the center here it's being used to torture part of a freight train coupling mechanism panoramic windshields for new automobiles ride the rails safely to assembly plants as a result of impact tests like this one involving a new freight packaging arrangement and safer methods of shipping cotton result from a project exploring the mysteries of spontaneous combustion in materials sometimes heated by vibration in another part of the research center new protective coatings for various kinds of wood are tested and improved inside the cabinet flames as hot as 1700 degrees stimulate the brush fires that sometimes threaten railroad bridges it's hoped the work will lead to bridges and other structures with greatly increased resistance to fire conditions of extreme cold are useful in work aimed at improvement of mechanical operations in winter weather the center's cold room is constantly in use by technicians looking for bearings and lubricants capable of trouble-free operation in the most rigorous conditions this is the isotope lab where researchers are aided in many projects by radioactive tracers a new tool of the atomic age in the service of the transportation system that plays an essential role in the newest most dramatic developments looking ahead to continuing steady expansion of the american economy the biggest system of mass transportation moves to meet tomorrow's challenge while problems dealing with weapons and possible travel in outer space attract increasing concern travel and transportation on the surface of this earth remain essential to everyday living and to the development of tomorrow's interplanetary vehicles on modern tracks in modern trains america's future rides the rails indispensable today as in the past to national progress and prosperity you