This document discusses railway points and crossings, which are special arrangements used to divert trains from one track to another. It describes the components of points/switches and crossings and their functions. It also summarizes the different types of railway stations including wayside, junction, and terminal stations. Additionally, it outlines the typical layout and facilities provided at stations, yards, and sidings used for sorting trains and cargo.

1. Railway Points and Crossing
Prof. Dr. Padma Bahadur Shahi

2. Points & Crossing
• To divert the train from one track to another
track some special arrangements are needed due
to the inside flanges on the wheel which can
move on a definite track. These special
arrangements are called points and crossings.
The points or switches provide the facility of
The points or switches provide the facility of
diverting the vehicle and crossings provide gaps
in the rails to be crossed by the flange wheels. A
complete set of points and crossings is called a
turn out. Right hand turn-out and left hand turn
out is shown in figures below.

3. Some
– Turn out: A complete set of points and crossing along with lead rail is
known as turn out. Details of a turn out are given in figure.
– Tongue rail: It is a tapered movable rail made of high carbon or
manganese steel to withstand wear. It is attached at its thicker end to a
running rail. Sometimes it is called switch rail.
– Stock Rail: It is running rail against which a tongue rail operates.
– Switch: A pair of tongue and stock rails with necessary connections and
fittings form a switch. It is the device used to divert the rolling stock from
one track to another track. It consists of a tongue rail and a stock rail. The
one track to another track. It consists of a tongue rail and a stock rail. The
tongue rail is supported on sliding plates and each pair of tongue rail is
connected by a stretcher bar near the toe of the switch as in the figure.
This arrangement keeps the movement of both tongue rails equal. A set
of switch is known as point.
– Points: A pair of tongue rails with their stock rails is known as point. In
other word a set of switches is known as point.
– Crossing: A crossing is a device introduced at the junction where two
rails cross to permit the wheel flange of a railway vehicle to pass from
one track to another track.

4. Right hand Turnout

5. Left Hand Turnout

10. Component Parts of a switch or Point:
1. A set of stock rail
2. A pair of tongue rail
3. A pair of heel block
4. A number of slide chairs to support the tongue
rail
rail
5. Two or more stretcher bars to connect tongue
rails
6. A gauge tie plate to fix and ensure correct gauge
at points
7. Guard or check rail

11. Component part of Crossings:
a) Two Rails: (Point and Splice rail ): Point rail ends at the nose
while the splice rail joins a little behind the nose.
b) Two wing Rails: These are right and left hand wings rails. They
converse to form a throat and diverge again on either side of the
nose.
c) A pair of Check rails: To provide a path for the wheel flange
c) A pair of Check rails: To provide a path for the wheel flange
and guide them, a pair of check rails is provided.

12. Types of Crossings:
1. Acute angle crossings
2. Obtuse angle crossings
3. Square Crossings

13. Station & yards
• Station is a place on a railway line, where trains
are stopped for passengers to entrain or detrain
and an authority to proceed is given to the train.
• At some of the stations the movement of trains is
also controlled.
also controlled.
• A station should be located as near a village or
town as possible with easy approach roads to
facilitate the movement of passengers and goods
as well.
• There should be provision of future extensions
also.

14. Functions of railway station
• For exchange of passengers
• For exchange of goods
• For the control of train movements
• To facilitate the trains on a single line track to cross from
opposite direction
opposite direction
• To enable the following express trains to overtake the
train ahead
• For taking fuels for locomotive
• For changing locomotive and running staff
• For attaching or detaching wagons and compartments
• For sorting of bogies to form new trains

15. Types of satations
1. Wayside station
2. Junction station
3. Terminal station

16. Wayside station
1. Wayside station: the station on which trains
move only in two directions (upside &
downside).
a) Halt station: This is the simplest type of stopping
place. It may or may not have small room. There is
place. It may or may not have small room. There is
usually one platform. No permanent staff is kept at
these halts. Ticket to passengers is issued either by
travelling ticket examiner or travelling booking clerk.
Sometimes tickets are issued by some contractors.
They provide facility to nearby villages where there is
low traffic volume. The main disadvantage of such
halts is that many passengers travel without ticket.

17. Halt station

18. b. Flag station
• Flag station: a request stop, flag stop or whistle stop
describes a station at which trains stop only on an as-
needed basis, that is, only if there are passengers to be
picked up or dropped off. At request stops for which there
are no passengers to be dropped off, trains need only slow
are no passengers to be dropped off, trains need only slow
in the vicinity of the platform — or, in some cases, pass it
at speed — instead of coming to a complete stop at an
empty platform. There are no arrangements to control the
movements of trains and crossing facilities. These stations
have buildings, staff and telegraph facilities.

20. c. Crossing station
These stations are provided with the facilities of
crossing. These stations are provided at least one
loop line to allow another train if one train is
standing on the track. Generally the train which
has to be stopped is taken on the loop line and the
has to be stopped is taken on the loop line and the
other through train is allowed to pass on the main
line.

21. Crossing Station
Passenger Platform
Main Lines
Foot overbridge
Station Building
Loop
Goods Platform
Goods shed
Passenger Platform
Fig. Crossing station on double lines

22. 2. Junction station
• The station where a branch line meets the main
line as known as junctions. Following
arrangements are essential for junction stations.
– Facilities for the interchange of traffic between main
and branch lines.
and branch lines.
– Facilities for repair and cleaning of the compartments
– Facilities of goods siding engine sheds turn table etc.

23. Junction station

24. General arrangement of railway station
1. Public Requirements:
– Booking office
– Platform
– Drinking water
– Refreshment room
– Sanitary arrangement
– Enquiry office
– Station name board
– Waiting rooms
– Lighting arrangement
– Public telephone

25. Requirement of railway station
2. Traffic requirements
– Machines for dating tickets
– Weighing machine
– Controlling and recording the movement of trains
– Siding to cross or overtake trains
– Sidings for good traffic
– Platform for loading, unloading & storing of goods
– Sitting arrangement for the staff of traffic department etc.

26. Requirement of railway station
3. Locomotive requirements:
– Water column
– Fuel store and supply
– Cleaning & examining of locomotives
– Inspection of vehicles & locomotives
– Turn table for changing direction of locomotives
– Residential accommodation, rest waiting of railway staff

27. Requirements of railway stations
4. In General:
– Suitable roads to the station
– Clock for accurate time
– Availabilities of coolies of the platform

28. Platforms
1. Passenger Platform
• It is the place from where the passengers to
entrain or detrain. It is a loading space. The
length of platform for all gauges should not be
less than 180m. Generally about 305 m length of
less than 180m. Generally about 305 m length of
a BG railway platform is desirable. The edge of
the platform from the center of the nearest track
is kept 1.7 m away for BG, 1.39 m for MG and
1.2 for NG.

29. • Passenger platform

30. Passenger platforms
• Minimum length should not be less than 180m
• Minimum width should not be less than 3.67m & should
be paved fully
• Platform should be covered at least for the length of 60m
• End of high level platform should be in the form of ramp
• End of high level platform should be in the form of ramp
the slope of 1:6
• Adequate lighting should be arranged for night
• Adequate drinking water
• The slope in its width should be 1 in 30
• The top width of masonry wall should be about 46 cm

31. • There is different level (height) of platforms:
– Rail level platform: the height of such platform is
equal to the height of the rail
– Low level platform: the height of such platform
should be kept about 45 cm above rail level
should be kept about 45 cm above rail level
– High level platform: the height is kept about 76 to 85
cm above the rail level.

32. Goods platforms
• To facilitate the goods handling, generally height
of goods platform is kept up to the floor level of
the wagon. Essentials of goods platform:
– Weighing arrangement
– Goods shed
– Goods shed
– Proper drainage facility
– Facility for direct access from goods platform to
goods sidings and to marshalling yards

33. Yards
• A yard is a system of railway tracks laid within
definite limits of various purposes such as sorting
of vehicles, making up trains etc.
• Yards are also used to control the movements by
prescribed rules, regulations and signals. There
prescribed rules, regulations and signals. There
are four types of Yards:
– Passenger Yards
– Goods Yard
– Marshalling Yards
– Locomotive yards

34. Passenger yards:
• the main function of the passenger yards is
to provide all facilities for their safe
movements of passengers. Following
facilities should be there in passenger yard:
–Booking office
–Booking office
–Parking space
–Enquiry office
–Signal for train receptions & departures
–Platform and sidings

35. Goods yards:
• requirements of goods yard:
– Approach road
– Loop lines
– Loading & unloading platforms
– Space for goods sorting
– Cart weighing machine
– Cranes for very heavy goods
– Cranes for very heavy goods
– Booking office

36. Marshalling yards:
• Is the space where goods wagons received from different centers
are sorted out and placed in order to be detached at different
stations. Thus marshalling yards are distributing centers.
• In short, marshalling yard is the center where goods wagons are
sorted out and isolated wagons are combined to form a train load.
Design consideration for marshalling yards:
– shunt ing operations should not be disturbed by the regular trains.
– Marshalling yard should be kept parallel to the running lines
– Movement of trains in only one direction is desirable
– Repair facilities for provided

37. Lay out of Marshalling Yards:
• The ideal layout of marshalling yard consists of
following:
– Reception siding
– Sorting siding
– Departure siding
– Departure siding

39. Locomotive yards:
• Following facilities must be provided in this
group:
• Sufficient number of tracks : Engine shed; ash pit;
inspection; repair shed; turn table
• Loco yards should be situated near the passenger and goods
yards
yards
• Water column
• Hydraulic jack
• Overhead tank and Loco well

41. Loops and Sidings
• Loops: when a branch line from a main line meets or
terminates at the same main line, this arrangement is called
as loops. Loops can be sub-divided into three groups:
– Split turn out: it is not suitable for fast through trains.
– Trailing turn out: A fast through train has to reduce speed slightly
while crossing over a reverse curve.
– Straight and loop: For the fast through trains it is suitable as there is
– Straight and loop: For the fast through trains it is suitable as there is
no need reducing speed.

43. Sidings:
• When a branch line from a main line or a loop
line terminates at a dead end with buffer stop, is
called sidings. Function of siding is to provide
temporary storage of wagons. There are four
types of siding:
types of siding:
• Trap sidings: the goods sidings are separated from main
lines by a trap siding
• shunting sidings:
• Catch sidings: these are provided in hilly tracks
• Private and assisted sidings.

44. Staff quarters
• Residential quarters for the staff are provided on
the station. The minimum clear distance from the
center of the existing track to the boundary of
quarters should be 8 meters. The proposed site
should not interfere with the future expansion of
should not interfere with the future expansion of
the station and should be provided in three years.