A fast-growing Northern Indiana steelmaker has begun making railroad beams three times longer than normal, the Indianapolis Star reports. The longer rails require fewer welds at installation and foster quicker safety inspections, both in an effort to cut expenses and increase railroad durability for the nation's train industry.

Fort Wayne-based Steel Dynamics in the past five years spent upward of $275 million to upgrade its plant in Columbia City, Ind., for manufacturing the longer rails. The 600-worker plant formerly made steel beams for use in construction and in bridges and other structures.

Making 240-foot rails rather than 80-foot ones follows a handful of competitors overseas, but none domestically. Durability is important to the top train companies, which replace hundreds of thousands of tons of the 6-inch-wide, 7-inch-tall rails each year due to the wear and tear from wheel-on-steel friction.

Steel Dynamics said in its quarterly earnings report that it expects rail and welded-rail shipments to "grow significantly" and has targeted the biggest names in rail for its longer beams. The upgraded mill can produce up to two million tons of beams for railroads per year.

David A. West, a Somerville, Mass.-based expert in train tracks who has toured the Columbia City plant, said its longer rails are "something different for this industry."

On its face, it sounds like a winner for rail companies, West said. "It's entirely possible. The book is still out, as they say."