Railways

ComponentsandAlignment

PermanentWay
Permanentway=Therailwaytrack
Typicalcomponents
Rails
Sleepers(orties)
Fasteners
Ballast(orslabtrack)
Ballast (or slab track)
Subgrade

PermanentWay

Atypicaldoubletrackrailwayline

Components

Components

FunctionsofComponents
Rails:
Provide a continuous and level surface for train movement
Provideacontinuousandlevelsurfacefortrainmovement,
providelateralguidancetothetrainwheels,bearthewheel
load
Sleepers(ties):
Holdrailsincorrectalignmentandspacing,providefirmand
evensupporttorailsandtransferloadtoawiderareaofthe
ballast
Fasteners:
Fixrailstosleepers

FunctionsofComponents
Ballast:
Transferanddistributeloadstothesubgrade,helpdrainage
g
p
g
Subgrade:
Transfersanddistributesloadstosoil(stabilized)layer
Cess:
Usedbytrackrepaircrewstowalktoaworksite,andasasafeplaceto
standwhenatrainispassing.
Helpsforminorwork,whileneedingtokeeptrainsrunning,bynot
needing a Hi railer ortransportvehicleblockingthelinetotransportcrew
needingaHirailer
or transport vehicle blocking the line to transport crew
togettothesite.

PrincipalComponentsofanElectric
Railway

Source:http://www.railwaytechnical.com/track.shtml

Variations:StabilizedBallast

HighspeedrailinJapan:Matshavebeenaddedtostabilizetheballast

Variations:Ballastless Track

HighSpeedRail,China:Ballastless tracks

AlignmentofRailway
Alignment=directionandpositiongivento
th
therailwaytrackonthegroundinhorizontal
il
t k
th
di h i t l
andverticalplanes
Horizontal:straightandhorizontalcurvature
Vertical:leveltrack,gradient,verticalcurve

Importance:
Alignmentensuressafetyandspeed
Changingalignmentlatercanbeverycostly

RequirementsofIdealAlignment
Basicpurposeofconstructionshouldbe
served
d
Strategicconsiderations
Developingbackwardareas,connectingnewtrade
centers,shorteningexistingraildistance

Politicalconsiderations

Shouldbeintegratedwithdevelopment
Landuseplanandotherdevelopmentactivities

RequirementsofIdealAlignment
Shouldbeaseconomicaspossible
Shortestroute
Sh
Construction
Balancedcutandfill,minimumrockcutting,drainagealong
watershedline

Maintenance
Avoid
Avoidsteepgradientsandsharpcurves(
steep gradients and sharp curves (>>minimizewear
minimize wear
andtearofrailsandrollingstock)

Operational:
Provideeasygradient,avoidsharpcurves,adoptdirectroute

RequirementsofIdealAlignment
Ensuresafetyandcomfort
Smoothtransition,safegradients(typicalgradient
1in80)
ThesteepestrailwaygradientistheLeasCliffRailway,
foundinFolkestone England,wheretwogravity
poweredtrainstravelupanddownaslopeofgradient
1:1.64.

LeasCliffRailway
Originally installed in 1885 in Folkestone,Kent.Itisa
Originallyinstalledin1885,in
Folkestone Kent It is a funicularrailway
funicular railway whichcarriespassengers
which carries passengers
betweentheseafrontandthepromenade.ItisoneoftheoldestwaterliftsintheUK

Funicular,alsoknownasan inclinedplane or cliffrailway,isa cable

railway inwhicha cable attachedtoapairoftramlikevehicles
on rails movesthemupanddownasteep slope;theascendingand
descendingvehiclescounterbalanceeachother.

The FunicularofFribourg in
Fribourg (Switzerland)

RequirementsofIdealAlignment
Aestheticconsiderations
Journeyshouldbevisuallypleasing
Avoidborrowpits,garbagedisposalgroundsetc.

FactorsAffectingSelectionofan
Alignment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

Gaugeofrailway
Obligatoryorcontrolpoints
g
y
p
Topography
Geometricstandards
Geologicalconsiderations
Floodandclimate
Roadsandcrossings
Laborandmaterial
Stationandyards
Economic
Political

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GaugeofRailway
Gauge=Cleardistancebetweeninnerfacesof
t t k il
twotrackrails
Measuredatacertainverticaldistancebelowthe
railtable(uppersurface)
e.g.Europe:14mmbelow,Japan16mmbelow

TypesofGauges
Broadgauge:
1 524
1.524m
1 676 (5 0 56)
1.676m(50
5 6)
Standardgauge:
1.435m 1.451m(48.5 49.125)
Metergauge:
1m 1.067m(3
1m
1 067m (33.375
3 375 3
36
6))
Narrowgauge:
0.610m 0.762m(20 26)

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ChoiceofGauge
Costconsiderations
Proportionalincreaseincostoflandacquisition,
earthwork,sleepers,ballastforawidergauge
Marginalincreaseinconstructioncostofbridge,
culvert,tunnelsetc.forawidergauge
Nochangeincostofrollingstock(forcarrying
samevolumeoftraffic),stations,platforms,etc.

ChoiceofGauge
Trafficconsiderations
Widergauge>Largerwagons>Moretraffic
Wid
>L
>M
t ffi
Widergauge>Largerwheels>Higherspeed
>Moretraffic

Geographicalconsiderations
Mountainousterrain>Sharpercurves>Narrow
gauge

Uniformity
Consistencywithexistingtrack

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Reasonfornonuniformity
Inmostcountriestrackswereinitiallylaidwith
onlylocaldevelopmentinmind
l l ld l
ti
i d
Budgetlimitationsveryoftenledtometer/narrow
gauge
Inconsistencyandnonuniformitywhentracks
wereconnected

Problemsassociatedwithnon
uniformity

Difficultiestopassengers
Difficultiesoffreightshipment
Inefficientuseofrollingstock
Additionalfacilitiesatstationsandyards
Yard=Facilitiesformaintenanceoftrains

Ineffectivenessinemergencysituations

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DualgaugeTracks
Adualgaugeormixedgauge
railwayhasrailwaytrackthat
allowstrainsofdifferent
ll
i
f diff
gaugestousethesametrack.
Generallydualgaugerailway
consistsofthreerails,rather
thanthestandardtworails.
Thetwoouterrailsgivethe
widergauge,whileoneof
theouterrailsandtheinner
h
il
d h i
railgiveanarrowergauge.
Thusoneofthethreerailsis
commontoalltraffic.

PakistanRailwaysNetworkMap

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FactorsAffectingSelectionofan
Alignment
1.Gaugeofrailway
Dictatespermissiblecurvature
p
2.Obligatoryorcontrolpoints
Importantcitiesandtowns(intercity),importantgrowth
centers(urban)
Majorbridges
Existingpassesorsaddles
Avoid:monuments,religiousbuildings
3.Topography
Plane
Valley
Mountain

FactorsAffectingSelectionofan
Alignment
4.Geometricstandards
Gradientsandcurves
G di t
d
5.Geologicalconsiderations
Stablesoil
6.Floodandclimate
Sandy/snowy:Awayfromwinddirection
Sandy/snowy: Away from wind direction
7.Roadsandcrossings
Rightangle

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FactorsAffectingSelectionofan
Alignment
8.Laborandmaterial
9 St ti
9.Stationandyards
d d
10.Political
Awayfromborders
11.Economic
Construction,Operation,Maintenance
Construction Operation Maintenance
Maximizeannualreturn=(RE)/I
R=Revenue,E=Expenses,I=Investment

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