RAILWAYS &

TRACKS
Types of rail
 Various types of rail are produced, ranging from
standard 'flat bottom' rail to special rails for mining
wagons and electric trains
 Two types of rail used are :
i) Flat-bottom
ii) Bullhead;
 These are available in various weights.
Figure : Types of rail
Figure : The flat bottom rails had been cut out of continuous welded
lengths by use of gas-cutting torches
Types of rail
 The Flat-bottom rail has, to a great extent, superseded the
Bullhead rail because it is better suited to heavier and faster
traffic.
 Weight for weight, the Flat-bottom rail is considerably stiffer
than the Bullhead section; this has resulted in longer track-life,
greater stability and reduced maintenance.
 However, Bullhead rails are easy to fix and unfix to the
sleeper, and therefore still used in situations where traffic
intensity necessitates frequent replacement.
 Types of rail
 The rails are supported by sleepers of timber, pre-
stressed concrete or in some cases steel, which in turn
are supported by a ballast foundation.
 The standard gauge for main lines is 1.435 m or 1.432
ms for main lines with continuous welded rails on
concrete sleepers.
 The gauge is the distance between the inner faces of the
heads of the rails, measured at 14 mm below the top of
the rail.
 The acceptable tolerance in standard gauge for safe
operation is +8 mm and -5 mm but railway engineering
authorities may insist on closer tolerances than this,
depending upon the importance of the track.
 Types of rail
 Rails are fixed to the sleepers in various ways. The
bullhead rail is fixed in a 'chair' by a high-tensile spring
key (Figure 1.1)
 The Flat-bottom rail is fixed with or without a base plate,
depending on the type of sleeper (Figure 1.2).
 Chairs for Bullhead rails are made to give the rail an
inward tilt of 1 in 20, thus bringing the upper surface of
the rail into line with the coned tread of the wheels.
Types of rail

 The same facility is achieved with Flat-bottom rails

by incorporating tapered base plates or by forming a
bevel on the sleeper.
 Both chairs and base plates are now fixed to the
sleepers by bolts, coach screws or lock spikes, or
alternatively the base plate may be cast in place.
 The spring-spike fixing is falling into disuse with the
development of concrete sleepers.
Figure 1.1 : types of rail with traditional fixings to timber and concrete
Figure 1.2 : Flat bottom rail using traditional fixings
Figure : The flat bottom rails had been cut out of continuous welded
lengths by use of gas-cutting torches
Figure : Laying out concrete sleepers
Jointing of rail
 Rails are jointed either by
i) fish-plates
ii) welding
 The fish-plates, 450 mm long and 25 mm thick, are
bolted to each rail with two bolts; this type-of connection
permits expansion.
 Welded rail is being increasingly used on main lines,
which can be supplied in pre-welded lengths of 220 m
from the factory.
 The expansion and contraction is confined to relatively
short lengths at each end of the track, where a special
'adjustment switch' is used to allow the welded rails to
expand and contract.
Figure : Fish plates
Pandrol rail clips
 Pandrol rail clips are manufactured from high
quality silicon-manganese steel
 In the case of timber sleepers the base plate is
fixed to the sleeper with 'Lock spike' base plate
fastenings or with screws, depending on the type
of base plate,
 whereas concrete sleepers are fitted with
malleable iron shoulders, the latter being cast in
during the manufacturing process.
Figure 1.2 : Flat bottom rail using traditional fixings
Pandrol rail clips
 When insulation is necessary for track circuiting
purposes, an insulator of hard nylon or other similar
material is placed between the shoulders and the edge
of the rail toof (Figure 1.3).
 'An extension of the insulator on top of the foot rail
beneath the 'Pandrol' rail clip.
 For severe conditions, eg very sharp curves, a
composite insulator is available, consisting of a nylon
insulating piece protected by a cover of malleable
iron.
Figure 1.3 : Various parts of the pandrol clip
Figure : Pandrol rail clips
Pandrol rail clips
 Where concrete sleepers are used, insulation is also
provided between the rail and the sleeper in the form of
a 'rail pad' (Figure 1.3).
 This resilient pad provides electrical insulation where
required, but its primary function is to dampen the
impact forces between the rail and the sleeper.
 The pad, made- from- suitable grades of polyurethane
or thermoplastic elastomer, are commonly 5 mm thick
although other thicknesses are available.
 Pandrol rail clips
 The latest development in rail clips is the 'Pandrol Fastclip'
, which is fully captive, pre-assembled, unthreaded rail
fastening.
 All components of the fastening are assembled on concrete
sleepers at the sleeper factory and remain captive
throughout the service life in the track.
 This eliminates the handling of loose components during
track maintenance operations.
 Tensioning and de-tensioning of the clips is carried out by
means of a track-mounted machine, or by hand tools
Timber sleepers
 It is normal practice to lay 24 sleepers per 18.3 m of
track, although this may be increased to 28 per 18.3 m
for weak formations, curves and continuous welded
rail.
 Timber sleepers have been used in the past but are
being replaced by concrete on all permanent lines.
 Timber sleepers have a life of approximately twenty
years on secondary lines, and are suitable for
temporary track work
Figure : Timber sleepers
 Concrete sleepers
 Concrete sleepers are produced in various classes for
general use, and a special sleeper for use on heavily
trafficked main lines.
 These sleepers are pre-stressed and, apart from being
more durable, their extra weight increases the stability of
the track.
 These advantages, together with the fact that concrete
sleepers can be readily formed to receive the various
types of track fixings, have proved that this material is
superior to others being used.
 For increased track stability, 'wing' sleepers are available
(Figure 1.4)
Figure 1.4 : Details of concrete sleepers, formation & drainage
Figure : Concrete sleepers
Steel sleepers
 Steel sleepers have been used for some time but are unsuitable on
electrified lines, due to increased leakage of the return current.
 They are used by corporations undertaking work that could
seriously affect concrete and timber sleepers, such hot metal
processing and chemical spillage.
 They have the advantage of low overall life cost, low
transportation and handling costs, low installation costs, and high
strength to weight ratio.
 They are made of steel plate, formed into an inverted trough with
flanged ends; this shape is suitable for strength but creates some
difficulty if realignment of the track is necessary.
Figure : Steel sleepers
Twin-block sleepers

 With the advent of light transport systems a

new concept of sleeper has been developed,
this is known as the twin-block sleeper
 This system is much easier to install than
traditional sleepers and gives an enhanced
appearance, in keeping with the aesthetic
demands of towns and city centres.
Figure: The twin-block sleepers recessed into a base slab
Formation and drainage
 New works are designed by adopting appropriate
alignments and gradients so that the amount of
excavation (cut) will balance the amount of 'fill' in
embankments.
 If the soil is suitable, side slopes (batter) of 1.5 to 1 are
commonly used; however, the side slope must be
designed to suit the material.
 The top surface of the formation should be sloped
outwards from a center crown, to provide drainage to the
track.
 The water is channeled away by ditch or other type of
drain (Figure 1.4)
Formation and drainage
 The formation consists of a clay fill or formation it
should be protected against ingress of surface water:
clay becomes plastic when wet and the rolling stock
may then force the ballast into the clay.
 The protection may consist of a layer of sand, stone-
dust or ashes 150 mm to 350 mm thick, laid directly
on the formation and covered with polythene sheeting
prior to the placing of ballast.
Figure : Formation and drainage
Ballast
 Ballast consists of crushed stone, eg granite or limestone
and is used as a base for the sleepers.
 The main function of ballast is to distribute the loads, it
also absorbs vibration, provides track drainage and
prevents the movement of sleepers.
 It is laid to a depth of between 225 mm and 300 mm,
depending on the traffic load;
 The ballast is filled to the top of the sleepers and out
beyond the end of the sleeper to a distance of between
250 mm and 500 mm, the latter forming a shoulder to the
outer edge of the track to restrain lateral movement.
 ballast

Figure: Ballasting construction