Drill holes in railway track?

[Ton-up]

I have drilled 100 or so 20mm holes through the vertical web of narrow gauge railway rail in the last 18 months or so as my mate decided he wanted a railway around his fields! He bought very long lengths cut in half, so we had to drill holes for the fishplates to join the rails together.
All we have used is a jig to hold a mag drill and normal HSS Rotabroach cutters.

Remembered I had a video of this on my phone as someone else wanted to know! Cut off oxy-acet cut rail end then a very quick and dirty clip-on jig to space holes. G clamp holds it sideways.
pic is still from video.

 

[mechman]

I figured they would punch them.

They drill the holes in situ, they have to cut lengths in situ for repairs, and don't have equip to punch holes, this engineering is on a voluntary basis It's a bit time taking but we have to work with what we've got

 

[Erie Fred]

They drill the holes in situ, they have to cut lengths

Portable hydraulic punch.

 

[mechman]

Portable hydraulic punch.

That's OK but who is going buy and where do the funds come from?

 

[Erie Fred]

That's OK but who is going buy and where do the funds come from?

Not for the OP, I was speaking about how the railroads do it.

 

[jimbo84]

I’ve drilled a 10mm hole through a used piece of track, down from the top edge the wheels run on through the upright bit, it was the same type as on the mainlines with a wide bottom.

Did it on one of those cheap DIY bench drills with an HSS bit as it was all I had at the time.

Was surprised how easy it went through. Had to measure and then flip the track over halfway through and drill from the bottom up due to the drill bit length, both ways drilled easily.