We sculpted this work of art from sections of century-old reclaimed steel to pay homage to the classic lines of the railroad. The railway runs outdoors and indoors, and this sculpture can be exhibited either way - indoors or outdoors.

Just as a straight track leads into curves, over hills and around rivers, so we formed the curving silhouette of this sculpture from fourteen straight pieces of vintage iron from the Industrial Age. It's a fitting homage to the geometry and art of railroading, and the fact that all railroad rail is in-fact straight - trust us - just read on.

The Curve in progress. Designed by Robert Hendrick.

Carnegie emblazoned on sections of rail

Cementing its ties to history, the name of the railroad tycoon Andrew Carnegie appears emblazoned on the side of several sections - some with dates going back to 1900 or even 1896 when the robber baron was at his height and just before he sold out to J.P. Morgan. 

Rail is fabricated from high carbon steel - an incredibly hard and durable iron alloy, but the steel is manufactured to flex and form into curves and to allow for changes in elevation. Basically one end of the rail is secured, and the other end is pulled around and spiked down to hold the shape of the curve. 

And while each rail is straight, after decades of use, the rail develops a bit of memory from its past service life. Vintage rails often possess a more pronounced wear on one side of the head of the rail indicating the side that the flange of the steel wheels ran on it. If the rail was on the outside of a curve, the centrifugal forces would have worn more heavily. Looking at the sculpture from the end, the eye sees the evidence of the curve-worn nature of the materials selected for this piece. 

Rail deformations make for excellent character features

As the rails radiate out of a bed of authentic granite ballast (stone) evidence of this metal's past life abound. Indentations dot the base of the rails - deformations known as spike rub because those are points where the friction between the rail and the spike wore away the rail. No doubt, it also rubbed a groove into the spike that held the rail in place. Discoloration from exposure to the elements and flow (the crushing of the head of the rail into a sharp lip) add yet more character to the authenticity of the materials.

The Curve in progress. Designed by Robert Hendrick.

Heavy pitting along the web of the rail shows the effects of over a century of outdoor exposure, but the smoother head of the rail proves that this rail saw its fair share of trains traversing the tracks. Track geometry is a fascinating study of physics, and our playful artistic take reflects our deep respect for the time-tested engineering feats of the railroad. 

Materials: high carbon steel & granite stone