Jim crow (tool)

Illustration of a Jim crow from A Textbook on Civil Engineering — International Correspondence Schools published in 1899 by the Colliery Engineer Company.

A jim crow is a tool for bending rails, consisting of a U-shaped or V-shaped armature with a hefty screw rod in its axis. Deluxe models are outfitted with rollers for continuous bending.[1] Terry Pratchett uses this term in his novel Raising Steam.[2]

Practice

Railway rails are quite flexible and bend easily to radii of 400m or more. The jim crow is needed to bend rails to tighter radii, especially near the ends.

References

  1. ↑ "KALGOORLIE-PORT AUGUSTA RAILWAY". The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950). Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 5 January 1916. p. 4 Edition: THIRD EDITION. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  2. ↑ Pratchett, Terry (7 November 2013). Raising Steam. Doubleday. pp. 345, 348. ISBN 978-0-85752-227-6. Retrieved 14 June 2016.


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