Strap iron rail

Okay, so let's imagine you're playing with train tracks like they do in the toy store. But these aren't just any train tracks, they're made from something called strap iron. Strap iron is a long, thin piece of metal that's flat on one side and raised up on the other side, kind of like a tiny little hill.

When you lay down the strap iron pieces to make your train tracks, the hills on one piece fit into the valleys on the other piece, and then you can slide the tracks together like puzzle pieces. This is called a "joint", and it helps keep the tracks steady so your toy train can roll smoothly along them.

Strap iron rail is a lot like the train tracks you see in real life, but it's usually used for things like mining and logging trains that don't need to travel as fast or as far as regular trains. And just like with toy train tracks, the strap iron pieces are joined together with little hills and valleys so they can stay in place.

So basically, strap iron rail is a special kind of metal track that helps small trains run smoothly and safely, just like the toys you play with at home!