In the United States, the majority of main line railroad track weights at least 130 pounds per yard, or 43.33 pounds per foot. From 75 pounds per yard (25 pounds per foot) to 175 pounds per yard, railroad track weighs (58.33 pounds per foot).
In the 1800s, the average railroad track weighed about 80 pounds per yard, but as trains became heavier, track had to become heavier as well. Light trains, like subways, employ track that weighs less than 100 pounds per yard (33.33 pounds per foot).
Track weight is normally measured by the yard, and the majority of railroad track in the United States weighs between 112 and 140 pounds per yard.
