The document discusses various aspects of railway track design and maintenance. It describes the different railway track gauges used worldwide and in India. It then covers classification of railway lines in India based on speed potential. The major areas of responsibility for civil engineers are listed as permanent way, works, and bridges. Key features of permanent way such as rails, sleepers, ballast and their functions are explained. Track maintenance methods like packing and geometry measurement are outlined. Finally, factors influencing alignment, curvature, super elevation and gradients are summarized.

1. Civil Engineering
S S KALRA
Sr. Prof. (Civil Engg), NAIR
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2. GAUGES ON WORLD RAILWAYS
TYPE OF
GAUGE
GAUGE
IN mm
%OF
TOTAL
LENGTH
NAMES OF COUNTRIES
BROAD GAUGE
(5’6’’)
1676 6 INDIA, PAKISTAN, SRI LANKA,
BRAZIL, ARGENTINA
BROAD GAUGE
(5’)
1524 9 RUSSIA, FINLAND
STANDARD
GAUGE (4’8.5’’)
1435 62 ENGLAND,USA, CANADA,
TURKEY, PERSIA & CHINA
CAPE GAUGE
(3’6’’)
1067 8 AFRICA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA,
NEWZEALAND,
METRE GAUGE
(3’3.5’’)
1000 9 INDIA, FRANCE,
SWITZERLAND, ARGENTINA
VARIOUS
OTHER GAUGES
VARIOUS
GAUGES
6 INDIA-NARROW GAUGE
(762mm & 610mm) – 2’6’’ & 2’)
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CLASSIFICATION OF LINES ON INDIAN RAILWAYS
GROUP SPEED POTENTIAL
(KMPH)
A 160
B 130
C Suburban
D 110 and GMT<20
D ‘Spl’ 110 and GMT>20
E <110and GMT<5
E ‘Spl’ <110and GMT>5

4. MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
1. PERMANENT WAY
2. WORKS
3. BRIDGES
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5. PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF PERMANENT-WAY
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6. Function
•Support & guide vehicles running on it
Sleepers
Ballast
Embankment
Rails
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7. Rails are members of the track laid in two parallel lines
to provide continuous surface for the movement of
Trains.
Function of rails
 Provide a continuous and level surface
 Provide a pathway which is smooth and offers
less friction
 Lateral guide for the wheels
 Bear changes due to vertical loads etc.
 Transfers load to formation through sleepers on
wider area.
RAILS
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8.  BG 60 KG, 52 KG, 90R
 MG 90R, 75 R, 60R
 NG 50 R
 Rail is Designated by Weight Per Unit Length (Kg/m or Lb/yd)
 KG- Means Kg/m (Indian Railway Standards)
 R- Revised British Standards ( Lb/yd)
IRS 52 kg 880 SAIL X10 OB
IRS 52 kg 710 TISCO V 1991 OB
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Standard Rail section

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SERVICE LIFE OF RAILS
RAIL
SECTION
TOTAL GMT
CARRIED, FOR
72 UTS (MM) RAILS
TOTAL GMT
CARRIED
FOR 90UTS RAILS
60 KG 550 800
52 KG 350 525
90 R 250 375

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Functions:
To Maintain Gauge distance
To distributes load over a greater area
To provide resilient bed
To maintain track to level & line
SLEEPERS

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 Wooden -0.3%
 Steel- 1.5%
 Cast Iron – 4.0%
 Pre Stressed Concrete- 94.2%
 Fibre Reinforced Plastic
Different Types of Sleepers

12. Type Wooden Steel CI PSC
Service life (Yrs) 12-15 40-50 40-50 50-60
Weight(Kg) 33 79 87 267
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13. Concrete sleepers (PSC)
Advantages
(a) Being heavy, tend more strength and stability to the
track and specially suited to LWR
(b) With elastic fastening, all along the track to maintain
better gauge, cross level & alignment
(c) Being flat bottom, suited for mechanical maintenance
(d) Can be used in track circuited areas
Disadvantages
(a) Handling and laying difficult
(b) Damage at time of derailment
(c) No scrap value
(d) Not suitable for beater packing
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14. Elastic fastenings
Requirement of an elastic fastening
1. It should hold the gauge firmly in place
2. It should have an adequate toe load
3. It should provide sufficient elasticity to absorb the
vibratory shocks
4. It should offer adequate lateral resistance.
 Grooved Rubber Pads
 Liners
 Elastic rail clips MK III
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Different Types of Concrete Sleepers
Normal line sleepers
Points & Crossings
Guard rails
Switch Expansion Joints
Check rail on curves
Level crossings
Dual Gauge

16. BALLAST
 Sleeper rests on a bed of stones called ‘Ballast’
Functions:
 Distributes load over a greater area to ‘formation’
 Provides elastic & resilient bed
 Helps to maintain track to level & line
 Helps in drainage.
 Longitudinal & lateral stability to track
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17. REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD BALLAST
 Tough and wear resistant
 Hard to resist abrasion and attrition
 Non-porous and non-absorbent of water
 Durable and should not get pulverised due
to weather
 Cubicle having sharp edges
 Cheap and economical
 Size between 20mm – 65mm
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18. FLAWS IN RAILS/WELDS
 Inherent defects
 Defects due to fault in rolling stock
 Excessive corrosion
 Badly maintained joints
 Defects in weld joints
 Improper maintenance of track
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21. ULTRA SONIC FLAW DETECTION OF RAILS
BY TROLLY 2-3 KM/DAY
BY SPURT CAR 100-200 KM/DAY
SPURT- SELF PROPELLED ULTRASONIC
RAIL TESTING CAR.
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22. SYSTEMS OF TRACK MAINTENANCE
 Conventional system
 From one end - periodic
 Directed Track Maintenance (DTM)
 Need based - as per requirement
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23. METHODS OF PACKING OF TRACK
 Manual (beater) Packing
 Systematic Through Packing
 Systematic Overhauling
 Picking up of slacks
 Machine Packing
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24. MACHINE MAINTENANCE
Necessitated due to
 Heavier track, difficult to maintain manually.
 Damage to Concrete Sleepers due to beater packing
For
 Uniform Packing
 Longer retentivity
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TRACK GEOMETRY
MAIN PARAMETERS
 Gauge
 Alignment
 Unevenness- deviation in vertical plane
 Cross Level/Twist –out of planeness of one of
the four wheels

26. METHODS OF MEASUREMENT OF
TRACK GEOMETRY.
Manual
Track Recording Devices
 Microprocessor Based Track Recording Car
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WORKS ON TRACK
 Works of routine maintenance
 Works of short duration
 Works of long duration

28. PROTECTION OF LINE IN CASE OF WORKS OF
SHORT DURATION AT STOP DEAD RESTRICTION
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DOUBLE LINE SECTION

29. PROTECTION OF LINE IN CASE OF WORKS OF
SHORT DURATION AT REDUCED SPEED
SAME AS IN CASE OF STOP DEAD RESTRICTION
EXCEPT THAT DETONATORS ARE NOT PLACED
AND FLAGMAN SHALL LIFT THE FLAG ONLY
WHEN DRIVER HAS REDUCED THE SPEED. TRAIN
WILL BE HAND SIGNALLED FORWARD
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30. WORKS OF LONG DURATION
 Line blocked by P-Way Inspector in consultation with
operating department
 Caution order issued by Station Master
 Temporary Engineering Signals provided at site by PWI
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31.  PROVIDED AT INTERSECTION OF TWO
TRACKS TO PERMIT TRAIN TO PASS FROM
ONE TO OTHER.
POINTS AND CROSSINGS
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32. TURNOUT
 AN ARRANGEMENT OF POINTS & CROSSINGS
WITH LEAD RAILS BY MEANS OF WHICH
ROLLING STOCK IS DIVERTED FROM ONE
TRACK TO ANOTHER .
LEFT HAND
RIGHT HAND
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33.  LEFT HAND SWITCH, WING RAIL &
STOCK RAILS
ON OBSERVER’S LEFT.
 RIGHT HAND SWITCH, WING & STOCK
RAILS
ON OBSERVER’S RIGHT.
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34. COMPONENTS OF A TURNOUT
• POINT
STOCK RAIL
SWITCH RAIL
STRETCHER BARS
• CROSSING
CROSSING BODY
WING RAILS
CHECK RAILS
• LEAD RAILS 34
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35. DESIGNS OF SWITCHES
 LOOSE HEEL: Tongue rails are joined to lead rails
at heel with fish plates
 Weak Joint
 FIXED HEEL: Tongue rails are held to stock rails at
heel by distance blocks & Bolts
 Rigid Joint
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36. SHAPES OF SWITCHES
 STRAIGHT SWITCH
 Tongue rails is straight from the tip of the switch to
the heel.
 CURVED SWITCH
 Tongue rail is curved from the tip to heel to same
radius as of turnout.
 Permits higher speeds on turnouts.
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37. CHECK RAIL CLEARANCE:
BG
Min 44 mm
Max 48 mm
MG
Min 41 mm
Max 44 mm
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38.  In IRS design, denoted by the co-tangent of the angle
 Designated as 1 in N i.e. 1 in 12 crossing will have an
angle whose co-tangent is 12.
 On Indian Railways 4 sizes are used
 1 in 8 ½
 1 in 12
 1 in 16 &
 1 in 20
( Flatter Angle - Larger value)
ANGLE OF CROSSING
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39. BUILT UP CROSSING
 4 pieces of rails bent & joined by bolts & blocks
 Disadvantage : Not very rigid .
 Advantage : Cheap.
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40.  One piece cast without Bolts.
 Advantages:
 Better wear resistant
 Less cost of maintenance
 Disadvantage
 High initial cost
CAST MANGANESE STEEL (CMS) CROSSING
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41. DIAMOND CROSSING
 When one track crosses another at an angle
 Comprising of two acute and two obtuse crossings
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 When required, Train on one track may also be diverted
to other track
 Made possible by the inclusion of two or four pair of
switches with the connecting lead rails
Diamond crossing with slips

42. FACTORS LIMITING SPEEDS OVER TURNOUTS
 Sudden change in direction of the running edge, at the
entry to the switch from a straight track.
 Variation in cross level caused by raising of the switch
rails.
 Absence of super-elevation over the turnout curve.
 Non transitioned entry from the curved lead to the
straight crossing.
 Gaps in the gauge face and running table at the
crossing.
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43. Direction and location of the track in horizontal and
vertical planes.
Basic requirements –
 To serve the purpose of the project – Strategic,
Political, Development of backward area,
Shortening of existing route, Connecting major
trade centers
 Economic considerations
 Aesthetic considerations
 Maximum safety and comfort
Alignment

44.  Gauge
 Obligatory points
 Topography
 Geological formation
 Effect of flood
 Position of road crossings
 Proximity of labour and material
 Location of stations
 Cost considerations
 Traffic considerations
 Strategic & Political considerations
 Overall economy
Factors Affecting Choice of Alignment

45. Curves are provided on a railway track:
 To avoid obstructions
 To pass through obligatory points
 To have crossings at desired angle with rivers etc.
 To develop required length between two points
without exceeding prescribed ruling Grade.
Curvature

46. Horizontal curves – When a change in direction of
the track is required.
Vertical curves – Provided at points where two
gradients meet and algebraic difference between
two grades is equal or more than 0.04 %
 Transition curves – is an easement curve, in which the
change of radius is progressive throughout its length
 Reverse curve
 Compound curves

47. Equilibrium speed – when centrifugal force generated is
exactly balanced by cant provided.
Cant deficiency – Difference of cant provided and
theoretically required at speed higher than equilibrium
speed. Max limit 100 mm on Group A & B and 75 mm on
others.
Cant excess – Difference of cant provided and
theoretically required at speed lower than equilibrium
speed. Max limit on BG is 75 mm.
SUPERELEVATION

48.  B.G. 100  80 with check rails )
 M.G. 160 (>140 with check rails )
 N.G.( 0.762m) 400
Existing curves are surveyed @ 10 meters apart with the
chord of 20 m length
MAXIMUM DEGREEOFCURVATURE

49. GRADIENT
To negotiate the rise or fall in the level of the railway
track
Gradient = h/x (1 in N)
= 100h/x (%)
h
x

50.  To connect various stations at different elevations
 To provide uniform rise or fall
 To follow the natured contours of the ground
 To reduce the cost of earthwork
REQUIREMENT OF GRADIENT

51. 1. Ruling gradient
2. Pusher or Helper gradient
3. Momentum gradient
4. Gradients in yards
TYPES OF GRADIENTS

52.  Curves provide extra resistance to movement of trains.
 To limit it as on ruling gradient, grade on curve is
compensated (flattened) @ –
0.04% per degree of curve on BG
0.03% per degree of curve on MG and
0.02% per degree of curve on NG.
Grade Compensation on Curves