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Correlative Light, Electron and In-Situ Raman Imaging of Modern and Historic Railway Tracks, Linking Wear and Corrosion Behavior to Microstructure and Composition (Room Virtual)

Rail track metallurgy has evolved to meet increasingly demanding requirements. The microstructure is engineered for high hardness, contact fatigue resistance and environmental durability. Mechanical and corrosion damage in worn 1930s and 1950s rails were compared against modern rail. In-situ Raman imaging was performed in a scanning electron microscope, correlated with light microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The microstructure, oxides and inclusions in each rail were studied to assess their influence on mechanical damage, deformation and corrosion. Integrating a Raman microscope in the scanning electron microscope chamber uniquely allows rapid correlative workflows, overlay of spectra, and multimodal imaging in understanding corrosion and wear mechanisms.