Tracks ablaze after cold weather shrinks rails

http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/local ... ubsection=
Track workers pour diesel on rail and set it alight .
I've never heard of this practice before . i presume they were in the middle of a track maintenance program (prestressing ? ), when unexpectedly cold weather hit .Though 4 degrees celius isnt that cold .

They use a pre soaked wick , its about 1.5 " thick and maybe 60 ' long and they lay it in base of rail, after its lit it will expand the rail so a pull apart can be repaired.

Kerosene soaked rope.

The type of stuff I've seen looks sort of like that insulation that is sprayed into a house. I think it was presoaked in diesel or kerosene and the workers just reached into a bucket and slopped it on the base and web of rail. It was right cool watching them do that. It also had my ladder tied up for about an hour, so I got a nice break!

At the shortline I used to work at they used kerosene soaked saw dust to fix pull-a-parts.