04-09-2021

Components of permanent way- Rails

SUBGRADE

Subgrade is the naturally occurring soil

which is prepared to receive the ballast,
Railway sleepers and rails for constructing the
Engineering railway track. This prepared surface is also
called as formation.
Formation could be in embankments or
cuttings depending upon the ground
conditions.

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FORMATION WIDTH AS PER IR STANDARDS

Formation Top: Boundary between ballast and Minimum width of the formation:-
top of blanket or subgrade (where blanket layer
is not provided). 1. Single line – B.G = 6.85 m.
Width of Formation: Width of Formation is the M.G = 5.85 m.
width of the prepared surface to receive ballast. N.G = 4.00 m.
It depend upon the
a. The number of tracks to be laid side by side.
2. Double Line - B.G = 12.16 m
b. The gauge type.
M.G = 9.81 m
N.G = 8.32 m

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Minimum Distance between centre to

centre of Tracks in double line: -
B.G = 5.30 m
M.G = 4.96 m
N.G = 4.1 m

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FUNCTIONS OF THE SUBGRADE

1. It bears the load transmitted to it through the

Adequate Drainage must be ensured for the
worst in service conditions. The top of 2.
formation should have cross slope of 1 in 30
from centre of track towards both sides. 3.
4.
Depth varies from 600 mm to 1000mm.
5.
ballast.
It should prevent the ballast from puncturing in to
it.
It should drain off the water entering from its top.
It should provide a smooth, regular and graded
surface on which the ballast and track may be
safely rested.
It should not change its volume due to variations
in moisture.

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SUBGRADE MATERIAL
The selection of the subgrade material is not
entirely with in engineer control as railway track
extends over a large distances and different
varieties of soils are likely to be encountered.
Engineer is forced to use the available subgrade
material.
The various characteristics like particle size,
moisture content, UCS, AL, Density and shearing
strength should be tested by conducting lab tests
on the subgrade samples.
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The ideal material is soil containing
gravel, sand, clay and silt in equal
proportions with moisture slightly above
the plastic limit. Generally a moisture
between 10 to 12 percent of the dry
weight gives the maximum density when
well consolidated.
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Subgrade improvement can be done by any of

the method:-
1. Better soil obtained from the borrow pits.
2. Adding/ Mixing certain admixtures.
3. Geogrid layer.
4. Cement mixing.
5. Blanket layer ( layer of non cohesive soil
between the subgrade and ballast section)

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BALLAST

It is the layer of broken stone, gravel or any other

granular material placed and packed below and
around the sleepers for distributing the loads
from the sleepers to the formation and for
providing drainage as well as longitudinal and
lateral stability to the track.

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FUNCTIONS OF THE BALLAST

Provide a level and hard bed forsleepers.

Hold the sleepers in position.(Ballast
packing)
Transfer the load to the wide areas.(Ballast
cushion).
Provide effectivedrainage.
Maintain level and alignment of the track.
It should be tough and hardenough.

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BALLAST SECTION

BALLAST MATERIAL

Broken stone
Mostly used on Indian Railway.
Procured from hard stones like
granite.
Economical in long run.

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TWO PARAMETERS BALLAST SECTION DETAILS

Ballast Shoulder Side slope for ballast material 1.5 : 1

Width of the ballast
Ballast Cushion B.G = 3.35 m
MG = 2.25 m
NG = 1.83 m
Depth of ballast
BG = 20 to 30 cm
MG = 15 to 20 cm
NG= 15cm

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BALLAST SIZE / GRADATION

QUANTITY OF STONE BALLAST PER METRE The size of ballast varies from 1.9 cm to 5.1 cm.
LENGTH The best ballast material is the one which
BG = 1.036 M3 contains stones varying in size from
MG = 0.071 M3 1.9 to 5.1 with reasonable proportion of
NG = 0.053 M3 intermediate sizes.
Size designated = 50 mm
Minimum Depth of ballast section Retained on 60 mm = nil to max 5%
D = (Sleeper spacing – width of sleeper)/2 Retained on 40 mm = 40% to 60%
Retained on 20mm = not less than98%

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REJECTION -OVERSIZE

Rejected if more than 10 % of ballast retain on

65mm sieve.
In case, retention on 40mm sieve exceeds 70%,
it is rejected.
2% in machine crushed and 5% in manually
crushed permitted for passing on 20mm sieve.

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REJECTION – UNDER SIZED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Rejected if retention on a 40mm sieve is less
than 40 %.
Rejected if retention on a 20mm sieve is less
than 98% for machine crushed or 95 % for
manually crushed aggregates.
Abrasion Test Value = Max 30%
Impact Value = Max 20%
Elongation and Flakiness Index = Max50%
Specific Gravity = Min2.65
Water Absorption = Max1%

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PERMANENT WAYSPECIFICATIONS
FLAT FOOTED AND BULL HEADED RAILS

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FLAT FOOTED RAILS & BULL HEADED RAILS

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RAIL PROFILE

The rail profile is the cross sectional shape

of a railway rail perpendicular to the
length of the rail.
Unlike some other uses of steel, railway
rails are subject to very high stresses and
have to be made of very high quality steel.

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RAIL WEIGHTS & SIZES

MINOR FLAWS IN THE STEEL THAT POSE NO
The weight of a rail per length is an
PROBLEMS IN REINFORCING RODS FOR important factor in determining rails
BUILDINGS CAN, HOWEVER, LEAD TO strength and hence axle loads and speeds.
BROKEN
rails and dangerous derailments when
used on railway tracks. Weights are measured in pounds per yard or
kilograms per metre. (The pounds-per- yard
figure is almost exactly double the kilograms-
The heavier the rails with the rest of the track per-metre figure)
components, the heavier and faster the trains
these tracks can carry.

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IN RAIL TERMINOLOGY, POUND OR KG IS
USED IN WITH POUNDS PER YARD OR
KG PER METER, E.G. A 132 POUND RAIL
MEANS A RAIL OF 132 LB/YD AND 66
KG RAIL MEANS A RAIL OF 66 KG/M.
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The IRS standard for most mainline tracks is 52kg/m
(really 51.89kg/m, 105lb/yd), and it allows 25-ton
axle loads. Until about 1970, most sections had RBS
standard rails of 44.7kg/m (90lb/yd). The RBS
standard had been adopted in 1914, and allowed
22.5-ton axle loads at 100km/h. It is still found in
many places.
For sections with heavy traffic, the newer IRS
standard rails are 60kg/m (really 60.34kg/m,
130.4lb/yd).
A62kg/mstandardhasbeenrecommended
nowforveryheavyaxleloads.
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MG RAIL WEIGHTS ARE USUALLY 37.2KG/M There is a large variety of rails used for NG
FOR BUSIER SECTIONS. THIS IS AN IRS lines. Common rail weights are 14.9kg/m,
STANDARD ADOPTED IN THE EARLY 1970S 20.5kg/m 24.8kg/m, and 37.2kg/m(this
AND ALLOWS 17.5-TON AXLE LOAD. last kind is essentially the same rails for
Much MG trackage still uses the older RBS MG being re-used on NG sections).
standard adopted in 1914, which specifies
27.6kg/ (allowing 13-ton axle loads and
m
75km/h speeds).

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 Relationship between weight of the
rail and the heaviest axle load, which
the rails have to carry is:-
Maximum axle load =
560 * sectional weight of rail in kg/m.
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UTS – Ultimate Tensile Strength in
Kg/mm2
The standard 52kg/m and heavy 60kg/m rails
are made of a steel of strength 90 ultimate
tensile strength (90UTS steel).
The older rails (until about 1993) of 45 kg/m
(90lb/yd), etc., were of 72UTS
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Cross-sectional area for BG rails ranges from
7686mm2 for 60kg to 6615mm2 for 52kg IRS
rails. Rail height is 156mm for 52kg rails, and
172mm for 60kg rails.
The 90UTS rails have a hardness of 260BHN
(Brinell Hardness number), while the 72UTS
rails have a hardness of 230BHN.
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The most common length for BG rails is
12.80 m although double- length rails
(26m) are seen in some places.
MG rails are usually 11.89 m in length.
NG rails vary, but the commonest
length is 9m .
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RAIL BRAND

A LOT OF RAILS COME FROM SAIL (STEEL IR-90R – TISCO– II 1985 – BasicBASSEMER
Authority of India), a public sector company
which makes rails at its Bhilai Steel Plant (now IR – Indian Railway
the second largest rail supplier in the world). 90R – 90Pounds/yd
TISCO – Company
SAIL supplies almost all the 52kg/m rails used by IR, and
some of the 60kg/m rails. It supplies the basic 13m, 26m, II, 1985 – Month, Year of Manufacturing.
and 80m rails, and is now manufacturing the 240m and
260m welded rail panels as well. The private sector BASSEMER – Manufacturing Process
company Jindal Power and Steel has recently set up a long
rail manufacturing unit to make 260m rails.

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IRS-52KG- 710 – TISCO– II1985 – OB

• IR – INDIAN RAILWAYSPECIFICATION
• 52KG – 52 KG/M RAIL SECTION
• 710 – GRADE OF THERAIL
• TISCO – COMPANY
•II, 1985 – MONTH, YEAR OF
MANUFACTURING.
•BASSEMER – MANUFACTURING PROCESS
OF STEEL.

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NECESSITY OF GEOMETRIC DESIGN

The total service life of 52kg / 90UTS rails is
specified in terms of a traffic limit of 525GMT
(gross million tonnes); for 60kg/90UTS rails
the service life is 800GMT.
52 kg + 72 UTS section = 350 GMT
Head hardening/ maintenance of the rails
increases the service life considerably, often by
a factor of 2 or 3.
Most of the trains derailments are due to:-
Track Defects.
Vehicular Defects.
Operational Defects.
The civil engineers are mainly concerned
with the track defects & how to remove
these defects so that no derailment takes
place

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TRACK DEFECTS
Improper Gradients.
Defective Gauge. Geometric design should be
Improper Super-elevation. such as to provide maximum
Improper Radius of the curve. efficiency in the traffic
Improper Speed. operation with maximum
Unequal distribution of loads on two safety at reasonable cost.
rails.
Improper Points and Crossings.

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GRADIENTS

ANY DEPARTURE OF TRACK FROM THE AN UP OR RISING GRADIENT IS ONE WHEN THE
TRACK RISES IN THE DIRECTION OF THE MOVEMENT
level is known as grade or gradient. AND DOWN/FALLING GRADIENT IS ONE WHEN THE
TRACK FALLS IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT.
Gradient is the amount of slope in Measured either by: - the extent of rise / fall in
longitudinal direction in a railway 100 units horizontal distance or horizontal distance
track. travelled for a rise / fall in 1 unit.
e.g. An alignment which rises 2m in a horizontal
distance of 50 m would be either 4 in 100 i.e.
4% or 1 in 25.

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GRADIENT
POST

Ruling gradient: The steepest/maximum

gradient allowed on the track section. It
determines the maximum load that the
locomotive can haul that section.
Gradient Post (e.g. Grade Resistance:- The extra amount of
Travelling from left to energy required by the locomotive to pull the
right, the gradient train up the gradient is called grade
changes from 1 in 105 resistance.
falling to 1 in 228
falling)

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e.g. A train weighing 500 tonnes is pulled up a

gradient 1 in 200 by locomotive. Determine the
grade resistance.

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E.G. A TRAIN WEIGHING 500

TONNES IS PULLED UP THE STEEP GRADIENT NEEDSMORE
POWERFUL

• A GRADIENT 1 IN 200 BY • LOCOMOTIVES, SMALLER TRAIN

LOCOMOTIVE. DETERMINE THE GRADE
RESISTANCE.
• ANSWER: - 500 * 1/200 = 2.5 TONNES
LOADS, LOWER SPEED,
RESULTING IN COSTLY HAULING.
• AS PER IR SPECIFICATIONS:-
• IN PLAINS: 1 IN 150 TO 1 IN 200
• IN HILLY REGIONS: 1 IN 100 TO 1 IN
150

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GRADE
COMPENSATION
The ruling gradient is the maximum
gradient on a particular section, but if a
curve lies on a ruling gradient, the
resistance due to gradient is further
increased by that due to curvature & the total
resistance due to gradient and curvature will
exceed the ruling gradient.
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In order to avoid the total resistance beyond
the permissible ruling gradient, the gradients
are reduced on curves.
This reduction in gradient is known as grade
compensation on the curves.
The curve resistance is expressed as percentage
per degree of the curve.
In India:- 0.04% per degree of curve for B.G,
0.03% for M.G and 0.02% for N.G.
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IF THE RULING GRADIENT IS 1 IN 150

If the ruling gradient is 1 in 150 on a particular
section of the broad gauge and at the same
time a curve of 4 degrees is situated on this
ruling gradient. What should be the allowable
ruling gradient
ON A PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE
BROAD GAUGE AND AT THE SAME
TIME A CURVE OF 4 DEGREES IS
• SITUATED ON THIS RULING GRADIENT.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE
ALLOWABLE RULING GRADIENT

• ANSWER = 1IN 196

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