why is aluminum used for railway lines?thanks xIf you look at the recent trend in the materials used for railway vehicles, you may find that the mainstream material is lightweight aluminum, which is environmentally-friendly not only for bullet trains, but also for express trains. For commuter trains, stainless steel and aluminum materials are typically used, taking advantage of the merits of both metals.contrary to the other answers, for that amount of heat you need something thicker than 1/16 inch, that won\'t allow enough heat to flow from the hot spot (the IC) to the rest of the aluminum. I suspect when the heat sink gets hot, it\'s only near the IC, and cooler elsewhere. You need 1/4 inch thick, perhaps 1/2 But you also need a lot of surface area, and possibly fans. .Aluminum is strong ans light weight.Other related question