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BSCE ELECTIVE 3
Railway Engineering Final Examination
Gicom, Angelica F.
201306293MN0
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
HISTORY AND GENERAL FEATURES OF RAILWAY TRANSPORTATION
Rail transportation has already began since the 6th century in Ancient
Greece and it continued to improve since then. James Watt first developed
stationary steam engine in 1774 followed by Matthew Murray who invented
the first steam-based locomotive around 1804. It is also noted that George
Stephenson, the Father of Railways was the first that successfully design the
first railway in the world carrying freight and passenger service with steam
traction. Advances in Railway Transportation were also evident in the
construction of Magnetic Levitation and Bullet Trains; as well as the
underground railways, railway track switch, diesel-electric models and etc.
Railway transportation has also its edge against other modes of land
transportation, such as it can serve large capacity of people and freights with
minimal travel time and delays, it is also safer with less accident rates and
passenger fatalities.
Air Brake It is the most common type of train brake using compressed air
1. A building used for loading and unloading passengers , it could be at grade, below
or above ground
a. Terminal b. Station c. Garage
5. It is a branch of Civil Engineering that primarily deals with the technological and
scientific application to planning, design, operation and management of facilities.
a. Railway Engg b. Transportation Engg c. Traffic Engg
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
RAILWAY TRACK GAUGE
There are five (5) factors affecting the choice of gauge. First is the traffic
Condition on the area, if the traffic situation is intense, the gauge needed must
be wide to accommodate large capacities. Second is the development of poor
areas, railway lines can connect undeveloped areas to the city center that will
enable movement of people and goods. It is wiser to build narrow gauge in
undeveloped areas since the passengers to be accommodated is not that many.
Third is the Cost of track, which is dependent upon the gauge width. The
greater the gauge width, the greater the cost since wider gauge is for wide
trains, and wide trains will be needing large stations. Fourth is the Speed of
movement, the wheel diameter of the train is equal to 0.75 times the gauge
width. Wider gauge is more compatible to railways having high speed design.
Last is the Nature of the country, the countrys topography varies from plane
to mountainous, and design speed decreases from each type. When the region
is mountainous, smaller gauge is needed so it can produce the minimum speed
and easier movement.
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
II. Definition of Terms
1. This method is used in Mountain Alignment wherein the railway line traverses
in a zigzag alignment and follows a convenient side slope which is at nearly 90
degrees to the general direction of the alignment.
a. Switch-back method b. Zigzag line Method c. Spiral Method
2. This method is used in a narrow valley wherein a viaduct or small bridge has
to be constructed at a substantial height to traverse the valley
a. Switch-back method b. Zigzag line Method c. Spiral Method
4. A type of railway system consisting of three rails, two normal rails and one
extra toothed rail in the middle
a. Toothed Railways b. Mountain Railways c. Rack Railway
Tracks are the path, specifically, railroads where the trains run. This
structure consists of rails, ballast, railroad ties, sleepers, subgrade and the sub
soil or natural ground. The first railway track was constructed in as early as
18th century and horses was used to pull trains of wagons which was primarily
used in quarries and collieries
4. The slope used in the rails to reduce wear and tear of the wheel flanges
a. 1:30 b. 1:10 c. 1:20
Rails are the components of track laid in two parallel lines that provides
level surface for efficient movement of trains. Cast Iron, Malleable iron,
Wrought Iron and steel are the basic materials used in the production of rails.
Rails primarily consists of a head, a web, and a foot, and there should be an
economical and balanced distribution of metal in its different components so
that each of them can fulfil its requirements accordingly.
There are three types of rails: Double Headed Rails, Bull headed rails,
and flat-footed rail that varies according to their size, dimensions, weight and
other distinct properties.
Double headed Rails The first rails used, having a cross section of I or
dumb-bell section
Bull headed rails It is almost similar to Double headed rails but with more
metal in the head.
Flat footed rails It is also called a vignole rail having a cross section of an
inverted T.
Rail joiner It is a metal plate that joins the rail ends in jointed track.
Light rail A city-based rail system that mostly run in private rights-of way
and separated from all other traffic.
Cast Iron Sleepers sleepers that has a useful life of 50 to 60 years and has
sufficient bearing area yet prone to corrosion
Concrete Sleepers sleepers that has a useful life of 40 to 50 years and has good
insulation and non-corrosive yet it is difficult to handle and manufacture
Steel Sleepers sleepers that has a useful life of 20 to 25 years and has a better
lateral rigidity but liable to corrosion
Timber sleepers are usually made of softwood and was accepted by most
railways as the standard up to the middle of the 20th century until its durability
limitations were recognized.
Turnout a mechanical device that enables trains to be guided from one line of
rail tracks to another
1. These concrete sleepers are mostly manufactured by the long line method
a. Mono-block concrete sleepers b. Timber sleepers c. Steel Sleepers
2. This method utilizes 3040 molds for casting concrete sleepers that are kept
in about 100120-m-long casting beds
a. Block method b. Long line method c. Pre tension method
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
3. The manufacture of these concrete sleepers is simple and similar to that of any
other ordinary precast RCC unit.
a. Post Tension b. Two block c. Mono block
5. Type of accident that occurs when the wheels of a vehicle ascend the rail
head.
a. Detachment b. Disengagement c. Derailment
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
BALLAST, SUBGRADE, EMBANKMENT
Ballastless Track a type of track that does not require ballast to maintain its
integrity
California Bearing Ratio used to measure the load bearing capacity
Flakiness index is the percentage by weight of the particles with a minimum
thickness of less than 3/5 of their mean dimension
Kankar a lime agglomerate that is found in various places in the form of
nodules of varying sizes
Subgrade a material underneath the ballast of a constructed railway track
Track fittings and fastenings are utilized to fix the rails in correct
position. There are different types of track fittings that varies according to
their purpose, viz. joining rail to rail, joining rail to wooden sleepers, joining
rail to steel through sleepers, joining rail to cast iron sleepers, elastic
fastenings to be used with concrete, steel, and wooden sleepers. Each of these
types has different fittings and fastenings required that will be further
discussed in this chapter.
1. Fish plate derives from the cross section of this fitting and its main function
is to hold two rails together in both the horizontal and vertical planes.
2. Dog Spike this fastening was named because of the head of this spike that
looks like the ear of a dog and it is used for fixing rails to wooden sleepers.
3. Round spike this fastening has a round section with a diameter of 18 mm,
and is used along with anticreep bearing plates for fixing rails to sleepers.
4. Fang bolts fittings that are employed under the switches to fasten the slide
chairs to the sleepers.
5. Cotters are used for fixing tie bars to CI sleepers and are classified according
to their methods of splitting
Rolling stock used in railways had developed from wagons and carriages,
which ran on roadways, carrying both people and freights. Horse drawn
tramways has paved the way for the evolution of railways immediately upon
steam power had begun to developed in early 1800s by American Oliver Evans.
There is a wide range of rolling stocks including freight wagons, passenger
coaches, multiple units, light rail/trams and locomotives
1. It consists of a cylinder, piston, and other moving parts, and it converts the
heat energy of the steam into rotary energy
a. steam engine b. boiler c. tender
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
3. These are unusual incidents resulting either from human error or due to
equipment failure.
a. Breakdowns b. Periodical Overhaul c. Wear and tear
Railway stations are locations where trains usually stops to load and unload
passengers and/ or freights, and other purposes. These stations varies with
regards to their effectiveness and suitability that will have a direct impact on the
satisfactory of the passengers; whereas accessibility, safety, convenience and
gender sensitivity must be addressed and prioritized in every station. Every
railway stations must have facilities that are conforming with the standards used
in the design of railway station to ensure safe and convenient railway travel.
1. It is the simplest station and usually has only rail level platform where trains
can stop on a railway line.
a. Flag Station b. Terminal Stations c. Halt
4. Type of yard that handles the reception and dispatch of passenger trains.
a. Coaching yard b. Marshalling yard c. Locomotive yard
5. Type of yard that contains and holds the locomotives for watering, fueling,
repairing etc.
a. Marshalling yard b. Coaching yard c. Locomotive yard