1837 W. B. Adams vi. 103 An inequality of less than one quarter of an inch in the level of a rail joint is felt like a plunge into a deep hole.
1915 R. Pulitzer vii. 129 These big projectiles in falling over us sounded exactly as if they were running along aerial rails. You could hear them..bumping over the rail joints.
2006 (Nexis) 23 Aug. 10 Rail joints are discontinuities and therefore a weakness, exposing countless rail ends to possible failure under trains.