RE: Rail Cutting Procedures and Safety
Back in my previous life when I worked for Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor there were times when it was necessary to cut rail in the rain in order to keep the trains moving and at scheduled speed.
The added safety issue with cutting rail in the rain is that when the abrasive discs (assuming that is the type of saw you are using) get wet they tend to warp and/or disintegrate which can be quite dangerous at around 5,000 RPM's. What we did was put a dry abrasive disc on the saw, make one cut right away and then dispose of the disc, being sure not to use it again. We never had any problem that I am aware of following this procedure. This could prove expensive for a museum if you just HAVE to cut in the rain because under normal circumstances I suspect you can get at least 3 cuts out of a single disc on 60 lb. rail.
Of course any kind of outdoor work is going to be more dangerous in the rain, particularly trackwork where the rails, ties and even the ballast become very slippery.
And whenever using an abrasive rail saw one should always wear hearing protection, two layers of eye protection such as safety glasses plus either a face shield or coverall goggles and lower leg protection. For the latter I recommend going to a sporting goods store and picking up some hockey goalie or catchers equipment that includes protection for the ankles, lower legs and knees. If you wear the above equipment you should be able to walk away from an exploding abrasive saw disc and do so without needing a white cane. Be safe.