Rail Tracks

What is rail track?

Used on railways to guide trains
without the need for steering.
Consists of 2 parallel steel rails which
are laid upon sleepers (or cross ties)
that are embedded in ballast to form
the railroad track.
The rail is fastened to the ties with
rail spikes, lag screws or clips such as
Pandrol clips.

What is rail track?.contd

Steel rail can carry heavier loads by
spread the load from the rails over the
ground and also serve to hold the rails a
fixed distance apart (called the gauge)
Rail tracks are normally laid on ballast,
which combine resilience, some amount of
flexibility & good drainage.
Steel rail can also laid onto concrete slab
(aslab track)
Across bridge track is laid on ties across
longitudinal timbers or longitudinal steel
girders.

What is rail track?.contd

Ballast
Track ballast, consisting of gravel,
cinders or other aggregate, forms the
trackbed upon which railroad ties (US)
or railway sleepers (UK) are laid. It is
used to facilitate drainage of water, and
to create an even running surface. This
also serves to hold the track in place as
the trains roll by.

What is rail track?.contd

Sleepers
A railroad tie, cross tie, or sleeper is a
rectangular object used as a base for railroad
tracks. Sleepers are members generally laid
transverse to the rails, on which the rails are
supported and fixed, to transfer the loads from
rails to the ballast and sub grade below, and to
hold the rails to the correct gauge.
Traditionally, ties have been made of wood, but
concrete is now widely used, steel has been
used, and plastic has been tried.

Types of rail track

Steel rail track

Concrete track
Single track
Double track
Non parallel double track
Handedness
Bi-directional running

Rail sizes
Expressed in terms of pound per yard
or kilograms per metre.
But pound per yard is almost exactly
double the kilograms-per-metre
Eg.
40kg/m = 81lb/yd
115lb/yd = 57kg/m

Method for rail track

Jointed track

Method for rail track

contd
Continuous welded rail (CWR)

What is rail track?.contd

Wooden sleepers
Iron & brick sleepers

Method for rail track

contd

Concrete sleepers

Steel sleepers

Method of fixing rail to

sleepers/ ties

Rail clip

Fishplate

Method of fixing rail to sleepers/

ties.
Type of fastener depends on the type
of sleeper
Spikes = wooden sleepers
Clips = concrete / cement sleepers

A baseplate or fishplate is used the

between rail & wooden sleepers
To spread the load of the rail over a
large area of the sleeper.

What is rail track?.contd

Track maintenance
Common maintenance job
Spraying ballast with weedkiller to prevent
weeds growing through & disrupting the
ballast special weed killing train
Leveled, cleaned & replaced ballast
Inspection nondestructive testing method to
detect internal flaws in the rails inspection
car.
Replacing broken/ worn-out rails periodically.