Introduction to Track

Definition

 The track on a railway , also known as the

permanent way, is the structure consisting of
the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast (or
slab track), plus the underlying subgrade. It
enables trains to move by providing a
dependable surface for their wheels to roll
upon.
DEFINITIONS

CESS

TRACK STR.
B A L L A S T
TRACK-
BLANKET
FOUNDATION
FORMATION

SUB - GRADE

SUB - SOIL

3
Track
Track

Consist of-
 Rails
 Sleepers
 Fittings and fastenings
 Ballast
 Formation
RAIL

IRS 52 Kg
Weight = 51.89
kg/m
X-sec area = 66.15
sqcm
Head width = 67 mm
Foot width = 136
mm
Height = 156 mm
RAIL

UIC 60 Kg
Weight = 60.34
kg/m
X-sec area = 76.86 sq
cm
Head width = 72 mm
Foot width = 150
mm
Height = 172 mm
 RAIL MANUFACTURING
 IRON ORE PIG IRON ( BLAST FURNACE)

 STEEL MAKING

 RAIL MANUFACTURING

 INSPECTION / MEASUREMENTS
Functions of rail

 To offer hard and unyielding surface to

the rolling rigid wheel on it.
 To act as beam and transmit the wheel
loads to the sleepers.
 To steer the wheels in the desired
direction.
Components of Rail

 Head:- Bears the load and allow wear

during service
 Web:-Bear the load and allow wear due to
corrosion
 Foot:-To give stability against overturning
and distribute load over large area of the
sleeper surface
 Main Dimensions of Rails

Rail Wt/M Heigh Flange Head Web

Section (Kg) t Width Width Thicknes
(mm) (mm) (mm) s
(mm)
60Kg 60.34 172 150 74.3 16.5

52Kg 51.89 156 136 67 15.5

90R 44.61 142.9 136.5 66.7 13.7

Permissible Wear on Rails
(Para-302)
 Vertical Wear
Rail Section Vertical Wear
(mm)

60 Kg 13.00

52 Kg 8.00

90 R 5.00
Contd. ….
 Lateral Wear
Section Route Lateral
Wear
Curves A&B 8.00 mm
Route 10.00 mm
C&D
Route
Straight A&B 6.00 mm
Route 8.00 mm
C&D
Identification of different qualities of
Rails (As per T-12/09)
Class ‘A’ Rail Green paint on gauge/non
gauge face for a distance of
500mm at each end
Class ‘B’ Rail No paint mark
‘IU’ Rail 1.Blue paint on both sides end
face of flange for a distance of
500 mm from each end.
2.The letter ‘IU’ shall be stamped
in 15mm size on end faces
Joining of Rails

 Fish plated track

 LWR track
 SEJ
 Track circuiting
 Glued joint
Fish
plate
Bone shaped
Rail Fish plate

Hole for Fish bolt

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Various Types of Fish plates and Their
usage
a) Ordinary fishplate : Used in normal
cases.
b) 1 m long fishplate : Used for repairs to
rail fracture, Laying of LWR etc.
c) Joggled fish plate : Used to protect
defective / fractured weld.
d) Combination fishplate : Used to join
different section of rails
 Sleepers
Main function - Holding rails to correct
gauge and alignment.
 Firm and even support to rails.
 Transferring the load evenly from rails to
wider area of ballast.
 Elastic medium between rails and ballast.
 Providing longitudinal and lateral stability.
Types of Sleepers

 Wooden Sleepers

 Cast Iron Sleepers

 Steel Sleepers

 Concrete Sleepers
Wooden Sleepers

Size of wooden sleepers in mm :

B.G. : For ordinary track 2750x250x130
(9’x10”x5”)
Durable and non durable types of sleepers.
Life of Sleeper:
Durable –19 years (B.G.)/ 31 years (M.G.)
Non-Durable- 12 to16 years.
 C.I.sleepers
 CST-9 cast iron plate sleeper has been
extensively used in the Indian Railways in
the last seven decades. It is essentially a
composite sleeper, with cast iron plates
jointed by a flexible steel tie bar.
CST-9 Sleeper
ST Sleeper
Concrete Sleepers

Types of concrete Sleepers:

i)Mono-block Prestressed Concrete
Sleepers.
a) PSC-12 for 52 Kg Rails
b) PSC-14 for 60 Kg Rails
ii) Two block reinforced concrete Sleepers.
Minimum Sleeper density
(CS No-117 dated 19.05.09)
All CTR, TSR, Gauge conversion, 1660 nos/km
Doubling, New line construction

Loop lines of A, B, and C route and 1540 nos/km

in case of LWR track on any route.

Loop lines of other routes in temp. 1340 nos/km

zone I and II (other than LWR)

Loop lines of other routes in temp. 1540 nos/km

zone III and IV
Minimum Sleeper density in sidings
(CS-117 dated 19.05.09)
Private and other Sidings with 1340
permissible speed up to 50 Kmph zone nos/km
I and II
Private and other Sidings with 1540
permissible speed up to 50 Kmph zone nos/km
III and IV and in case of LWR track

Private and other Sidings with 1660

permissible speed >50 Kmph nos/km
Fittings

Introduction
of different type of fittings of
wooden and PSC sleepers
ERC

MCI insert

Rubber pad

Liner
ERC

RAIL CLIP
 TO KEEP SUFFICIENT CONTINIOUS TOE

LOAD ON THE RAIL UNDER STATIC AND

DYNAMIC CONDITIONS.

 TO ENSURE NO SEPERATION BETWEEN

RAIL AND RUBBER PAD

 TO ENSURE MIN. UPLIFT UNDER

PERCUSSION WAVE.
Rubber Pad

FUNCTIONS
 DAMPING OF HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS
 MECHANISM – MOLECULES BROUGHT CLOSER
UNDER FORCE, ENERGY DISSIPATION WHEN
FORCE IS REMOVED
 VIBRATIONALLY ISOLATE RAIL
 PREVENT GAP
Functions….
 ABSORBS SHOCKS AND DAMP OUT
VIBRATIONS
 INCREASE FRICTIONAL RESISTANCE
TO LONG. AND LATERAL MOVEMENT
OF RAIL
 DISTRIBUTE LOAD UNIFORMLY OVER
SLEEPER
 PROVIDE ELECTRIC INSULATION
BETWEEN RAIL AND SLEEPER
 REDUCE NOISE LEVEL
Liners
Functions of Liner
 DISTRIBUTION OF TOE LOAD OVER LARGER
AREA ON RAIL FOOT
 ALLOW FLEXIBILITY FOR USE OF DIFFERENT
RAIL SECTION ON THE SAME/ COMMON
SLEEPER
 PROVIDE INSULATION BETWEEN RAIL AND
INSERT
Material used for liners
 1)
 METAL
 Mild Steel
 2)
 GFN 66
 66% NYLON AND 33% GLASS FIBER
Type of liners

RAIL SLEEPER TYPE OF LINER

52 KG 52 KG T-3738 (MK III)
52 KG 52 KG T-3702(GFN)
52 KG 60 KG T-3741(G) & 3742(NG)
T-3707(G) & 3708(NG)
52 KG 60 KG
(GFN)
60KG 60 KG T-3740 (MK III)
60KG 60 KG T-3706(W) (GFN)
Ballast

 Ballast is the select crushed granular

material placed as the top layer of the
substructure in which the sleepers are
embedded

39
Important Functions of Ballast

 Resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal

forces
 Provide resilience and absorb energy
 Reduce formation pressure
 Facilitate track geometry correction
 Facilitate track drainage
 Provide voids

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Additional Functions of Ballast

 Inhibit vegetation growth

 Absorb airborne noise

 Provide adequate electrical resistance

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 Requirements of Track Ballast
 Tough and wear resistant

 Hard without getting crushed under moving

loads

 Generally cubical having sharp edge

 Non-porous and non-absorbent of water

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 Requirements of Track Ballast
 Resist Attrition

 Durable and should not get pulverized under

weather condition

 Good drainage of water

 Economical in cost

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Track Ballast

Ballast may be subdivided into following

zones:
1. Crib
2. Shoulder
3. Top Ballast
4. Bottom Ballast

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Thank you for patient
listening.
SEJ