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QUOTABLE QUOTES

A person that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1890-1969)

There are six main elements of railroad cross section:

o Ballast o Crossties o Tie Plates o Fastenings o Rail Anchors o Rail Joints

BALLAST
Track ballast is a key structural element of the railroad permanent way. Its prime function is to transmit & distribute the wheel loadings from the base of the crossties to the subgrade. It also serves as anchor the track, preventing longitudinal & transverse movement. Open graded materials that can perform satisfactorily the required functions of ballast are crushed stones, washed river or pit run gravel & furnace slags. Typically, the material size varies from 1 to 1 in. Depth of the ballast may vary from 6-30in or more depending on the wheel load, traffic density & speed, type & condition of foundation. QUALITY STANDARD OF BALLAST: 1. Wear Resistance abrasion test, wear of any ballast material is limited to 40% 2. Cleanliness 3. Frost Resistance 4. Unit Weight compacted weight of not less than 70 100 lb/ft3.

BALLAST

CROSSTIES
The crosstie serves several functions, including: 1) Spreading horizontal & vertical loadings to ballast 2) Maintaining correct gauge between the rails 3) Providing, in conjunction to ballast 4) Providing a convenient means of making needed vertical adjustment

Typically made up of wood which is treated with both preservative & coating materials for protection against weathering & splitting while in service.
Sizes are 6in thick x 6in wide to 7in thick x 9in wide. Tie lengths also vary, standard sizes are 8, 8.5 & 9ft long. Tie replacement averages about 3% of all ties yearly.

RAILS
The steel rail has a characteristic of an inverted T-shape. Rail sections come in standard lengths of 39ft. Functions as a continuous steel beam transmitting vertical & horizontal shears to the ties via the tieplates & fastenings. There is no established formula for selecting the size of rail.

RAILS

TIE PLATES
The rail is laid on tie plates that are secured to the crossties by spikes or other types of fastening. 3 Principle Functions of Tie Plates: 1) To prevent damage to the wood crosstie by distributing the wheel loads over a larger area. 2) To help hold the rail to proper gauge. 3) To partially offset the outward lateral thrust of the wheel loads by tilting the rails slightly inward. Tie plates are typically 7-8in wide, 10-14in long & 9/16 to 1in thick. Special rubber/ plastic pads are sometimes placed between tie plates & crossties to reduce tie wear.

TIE PLATES

FASTENINGS
Types of fastenings may be used to secure tie plates including common cut spikes, spring spikes, screw spikes, compression clips & clamps.

RAIL ANCHORS
They are used to reduce or stop longitudinal movement of rails. Their main purpose is to hold the rail in a fixed position.

RAIL JOINTS
Rail joints are used to provide smooth continuity of alignment & surface where two rails ends meet & to transfer the wheel load from one rail to the other.

FUN FACTS & TRIVIAS

Retaining walls are most often used to: A) provide foundation for buildings B) hold back the earth from a building or other structure C) divide businesses from residential areas Ans. B and maybe A. A retaining wall holds soil, such as a basement wall. Although, it is possible to make it integral with the foundation for structures like a home.

Pro Deo, Familia et Patria

The End