Geometric Design Of

Railway
1
Track
Gaurav Pradip Walhekar
Geometric design of track
Geometric design of railway track includes all those
parameters which effect the geometry of the track . These
parameters are:
• Alignment of Rail
• Gradient in the track , including grade compensation,
rising gradient and falling gradient.
• Curves of the track including horizontal and vertical
curves , transition curves , sharpness of curve in terms of
radius or degree of the curve .
• Cant or Super elevation of curves , etc.

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Necessity for geometric design
• To ensure the smooth and safe running of trains.
• To achieve maximum speeds.
• To carry heavy axle loads.
• To avoid accidents and derailment due to a defective
permanent way.
• To ensure that the tracks require least maintenance.
• For good aesthetics.

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Alignment
• Alignment: Marking the position of center line on the ground
and giving direction to the railway track is known as
alignment of the railway track.
Requirements of rail alignment

i) The alignment should be short and straight.

ii) The alignment should be economical.
iii) It should take care of obligatory points.
iv) Marshy and low-lying areas should be avoided.
v) Raw materials for construction should be easily available near
the site.
vi) It should facilitate easy slope and curve.

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Factors governing the rail alignment :
Following are the factors governing road alignment:
(1) Obligatory points: The alignment should pass through obligatory
points such as intermediate important towns, group of villages, and
places of commercial, social, political and military importance.
(2) Traffic: - The alignment should suit the traffic growth and its
impact should be studied carefully and the alignment should pass
through thickly populated area.
(3) Geometric Designs: To get the maximum benefits of a railway
alignment the geometric design of the following elements should be
made very carefully.
(a) Gradient: The alignment should have gradient not steeper than
permissible limit, in order to avoid excessive fall or rise, the alignment
is to be changed.
(b) Curves: The alignment should have flat curves. Sharp curves should
be avoided by changing the alignment.

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(4) Topography of Areas:
(a) Valley Alignment: If the two terminal points lie in the same valley then the
straight shortest alignment may be chosen without any difficulty and a uniform
rate of gradient may be adopted.
(b) Cross Country Alignment: In such type of alignments, the water sheds of
two or more streams of different sizes have to be crossed and it is not possible
to give a uniform grade to the track. It is due to the fact that rail levels are so
high that there are no appreciable summits or sags between the ridges. Thus,
the routes in cross country have sags and summit in succession.
(c) Mountainous Alignment: The main object in railway alignment is to keep
the track as straight as level as possible. In mountainous region this objective is
achieved by increasing the length of the track keeping the gradient up to the
limit of ruling gradient.
(5) Economic Consideration
The alignment should also be economical. The initial cost, cost of maintenance
and vehicle operation cost should be taken into consideration.
(6) Other consideration
From drainage point of view, marshy tracks should be avoided. The alignment
should be such that the excessive cutting of the rock is avoided. Cutting in
snowfall areas should be avoided as it will create problem of cleaning the track
in cold season
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Cross section of permanent way
in embankment (Single track)

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Cross-section of a double broad
gauge track in embankment

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Gradients
• Gradients are provided to negotiate the rise or fall in the
level of the railway track.
• A gradient is normally represented by the distance
travelled for a rise or fall of one unit. for example if there
is rise of 1 m in 400 m , the gradient is 1 in 400.

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Objectives of providing gradients
• To reach various stations at different elevations.
• To follow the natural contours of the ground to the
extent possible.
• To reduce the cost of earthwork.

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Types of gradients
• Ruling gradient
• Pusher or helper gradient
• Momentum gradient
• Gradients in station yards

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1) Ruling Gradient :
• The permissible gradient usually provided in a railway track, is
known as ruling gradient.
• This is the maximum permissible gradient to which a railway track
may be laid in a particular section.
• Ruling gradient mainly depends upon the power of the locomotive
which shall be able to pull up the train load along the gradient.
2) Momentum gradient :
• The rising gradient on which a moving train takes the advantage of
the preceding falling gradient in developing the momentum and
kinetic energy for its negotiation is called momentum gradient.
• For example, in valley, a falling gradient is usually followed by a
rising gradient.
3) Pusher Gradient :
• The gradient which requires one or more additional locomotives for
pulling the train up the track is called pusher gradient.
• These gradients are always steeper than the ruling gradient.
• This type of gradient is very important on tracks in mountainous
regions to avoid heavy cutting through rocks and to reduce the route
length.
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(4) Station yard gradient :
• The gradient provided in station yards for easy drainage
is known as station yard gradient or minimum gradient.
• In station yards, gradients are avoided as far as possible
due to the following reasons:
(i) Bogies standing on gradients are liable to move under
the effect of heavy winds and may cause accidents.
(ii) The locomotives will require extra force to pull the train
up a gradient while starting the train.

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Cant deficiency:
• It is the amount by which the actual super elevation falls short
of the equilibrium super elevation.
• The difference between equilibrium cant necessary for
maximum permissible speed on curved track and the actual
cant provided is known as cant deficiency.
• It should be as low as possible, as higher cant deficiency result
in extra pressure, more side wear and creep of outer track and
results in discomfort to passenger.
• For different gauges, cant deficiency prescribed by Indian
Railway for speed upto 100 km/hrs is 7.6 cm, 5.1 cm, 3.8 for B.
G. M. G and N. G respectively and for speed more than 100
km/hr, it will be 10 cm for B. G. only.
Negative cant:
• The elevation of outer rail below the inner rail of a turnout or
branch track at the place where it meets the main track on a
curve is called as negative cant or negative super elevation.
• The negative cant helps the locomotive to change its direction
from main line to branch line irrespective that outer rail
should kept at higher level.
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Cant deficiency Negative cant

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Coning of wheels
• If the flanges of the wheel are flat then due to shocks there will be
movement between wheel and the rails and due to which, vehicle
will not be maintained in central portion and there will be unequal
distribution of load. Therefore, the flanges are made in the shape of
cone with a slope of l in 20. This is termed as coning of wheel.
• It will also help in decreasing the wear and tear of the flanges and
the rail.
• To prevent rubbing inside face of rail and flanges, the distance
between inside edge of flanges kept less than the gauge and thus the
pressure is always maintained at the inner edge of rail due to coning
of wheel.

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Tilting of rail
• In case the rail of track are placed in vertical position ,the top
surface will not come in full contact with the treads of wheels
of a train due to coning of wheels and the pressure of wheels
will always be exerted near the inner edges of the rails.
Therefore, the rails will wear out quickly .To make full contact
of top surface and thereby reducing the wear of rails in this
way, these are placed at an inward slope of 1 in 20.which is
known as tilting of rails.
• The tilting of rail is achieved by providing a cut in the wooden
sleeper called as “Adzing”. Canted bearing plates can also be
used in wooden sleepers to provide tilting of rails.
• Steel, CI and PSC sleepers have in built slope on the bearing
surface to provide tilting of rails.

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Components of left hand turnouts.
I. Stock rails
II. Lead rails
III. Check rails
IV. Splice rails
V. Tongue rails
VI. Wing rails
VII. Stretcher bar
VIII. Point rails
IX. Toes of switch
X. Throw of switch
XI. Nose of crossing
XII. Main track
XIII. Branch track
XIV. Crossing angle.

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Station yard
Classification of station yards
i) Passenger Bogie Yard
ii) Goods Yard
iii) Locomotive Yard
iv) Marshalling Yard
Purposes of station yard.
I. Passenger bogie yards provide facilities for the safe movement of the
passengers
and vehicles for the passenger.
II. Goods yard provide facilities for receiving, Loading, Unloading and
delivery of goods and movement of goods vehicle.
III. Marshalling yards provide facilities of receiving train and other
loads, sorting out and forming new trains and their dispatch onwards.
IV. Locomotive yards provide facilities for coaling, watering, repairing,
oiling, cleaning etc for servicing and maintenance of locomotive.

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Requirements of a railway station
1. Easy and comfortable approach roads connecting the
nearby town or village to the station without causing
congestions.
2. Availability of coolies on the station platform.
3. Clocks to show correct time, guide map of the city,
separate boards for arrival and departure of trains with
platform numbers.
4. Provision for arrangements for controlling the movement
of trains by means of signals.
5. Sufficient number of sidings for receiving, sorting,
storing and departing of trains.
6. Big waiting halls.

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Selection of site for Railway station.
1. Drainage-The proposed railway station site should be on a fairly levelled ground and
it should be well drained.
2. Water Supply-There should be plentiful supply for water at the site of station.
3. Future Allowances-There should be sufficient land available for the purpose of
future extensions along both sides
4. Gradient The site should be such that permissible maximum gradients can be
obtained without much difficulty. The vehicles may start moving with wind which is very
hazardous.
5. Location or Horizontal Alignment-The location of station yards should be such
that it is neither located neither near a curve nor on a curve.
6. Vertical Alignment- The train should not be situated in sag but it should be on a
summit.
7. Accessibility- The station yards should be such that it is easily accessible from city or
town. There should be well developed and efficient transportation system which leads the
people and their goods to station with much ease.
8. Visibility- The environment around the site selected for a station should be such that
their exists clear and improved visibility for the drivers of trains. There should be certain
enough arrangements made which improvements made which improves the visibility of a
station.
9. Facilities-The site selected for the station should be such that for the passengers
of trains, machinery works, garages, workshops etc
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Marshalling Yard:-
• The yards where trains and other loads are received, sorted out station wise and
new trains are formed and dispatched onwards are known as marshalling yards.
• In a marshalling yard, loaded and empty goods wagons are first received from
different lines for booking to different destination stations. Then these wagons
are separated, sorted and dispatched in full trains in each line. While making full
trains, the wagons are arranged in order of the stations so that they can be
detached conveniently at the required stations.
Functions of marshalling yards:-
i. Reception of empty and loaded wagons
ii. Sorting of wagons
iii. Departure of wagons in the form of trains.
Types of marshalling yards:-
i. Flat yards
ii. Gravitational yards
iii. Hump yards

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Locomotive yard.
• Purpose of locomotive yard
1) Purpose of locomotive yard is for proper arrangements of supply of fuel and
water.
2) Arrangements for cleaning, examining, inspecting and maintaining the
locomotives.
• Requirements of a locomotive yard:
1. It should be properly arranged so that it should carry maintenance in proper
sequence.
2. It must be located near passenger or goods yard
3. For lifting engines there should be
facility of hydraulic jack.
4. It should be provided with loco shed,
water column and fuel platform.
5. It should have overhead
tank for supply of water with pressure.
6. It should have sufficient space
for future expansion.

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Railway track maintenance
Necessity of railway track maintenance.
The railway track maintenance is necessary due to the following
reasons:
(1) The newly laid track settles down due to heavy axle loads and high
speed of trains. The elastic structure of the railway track thus gets
disturbed in alignment, gauge and surface level of rails.
(2) The track components are subjected to deteriorating effects of
weathering agencies like rain, sun and storm and hence the wear and
tear of the track components is likely to take place.
(3) The track components are subjected to many other deteriorating
effects due to heavy wheel loads, curvature and speed of trains,
particularly on curves, points and crossings, bridge approaches and at
level crossings.
(4) To maintain the track components and other facilities in good
condition so as to provide safe and smooth movement of trains at
specified speed.

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Tools required for rail track maintenance
1) Cant board: It is used to check cant on curve.
2) Wire claw: It is used to clean the ballast.
3) Powarah: It is used to spread ballast.
4) Hammer: It is used to drive spikes.
5) Rail bender: It is used to bend rail to keep them in desired position.
6) Jacks: It is used to lift the track.
7) Rail Gauge: It is used to check the rail gauge width.
8) Sleeper tongs: It is used to lift the sleepers.
9) Auger: It is used to drill holes.
10) Shovels: It is used to handle ballast.
11) Rail tong: It is used to lift rail.
12) Claw bar: It is used to take out spikes from sleeper.
13) Sledge hammer: It is used to cut rails by chisel.
14) Chisel: It is used to cut the rails.
15) Beater cum pickaxe: It is used to pack ballast under the sleepers.
16) Spanner: It is used to fix bolts .
17) Spirit level along with straight edge: It is used to maintain cross
levels of rails.
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Personnel’s in rail track maintenance:
(i) Permanent Way Inspector
(ii) Gang Mate
(iii) Key Man
Duties of permanent way inspector
1. The duties of permanent way inspector are as follows;
2. The PWI is personally responsible for maintaining the track in good condition for
the passage of trains. For this purpose, he travels over the track by push trolley and
watches the defects of the track and arranges the repair of the defective track by his
gang.
3. He is responsible to carry out the renewals of rails and sleepers.
4. He should maintain the record of wear of rails in his section. He should check out
the programme for lubrication of rail joints in such a way that the entire rail joint
are lubricated on a year during winter season.
5. He is responsible to maintain the correct gauge, super elevation on curves and
removal of creep etc.
6. He should supervise the work of his gang regularly.
7. He should see the welfare of his gang man.
8. Level crossing under his charge must be maintained in perfect condition. During
this visit to level crossing, he should check the working of gateman also. If necessary
he should issue instructions to the gateman.
9. At the time of accident, he is responsible to store the traffic in the shortest
possible time. He should also find out the causes of accident.
10. He should prepare the estimates of the maintenance work and should report the
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progress to his seniors.
• Duties of gang mate-
1. Gang mate means the person in charge of gang of work men
employed on
permanent way.
2. He is responsible for the maintenance of track.
3. It is his duty to arrange for tools and other requirement for his gang.
4. He has to allot duties to each of his gang man and to check their
work.
5. He has to maintain record of work, reports of key man.
• Duties of Keyman-
1.The position of a Keyman in his gang is next to the Gang mate and
hence, in his absence the Keyman is to perform his duties
2. He is responsible for the upkeep of all fastening and rail joints in the
track of his section.
3. He is to walk on the whole section to inspect fastening and joints
every day.
4. He is to tight all the fittings like fish bolts, spikes, sleepers, keys etc.
found loose during his inspection.
5. He should grease fish plates and oil fish bolts.
6. He should open and refit all joints at least once in a year
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