MODULE 4

TRANSPORTATION ENGG2

SHALU THOMAS
Content

• Points and Crossings –

• Design features of a turnout –
• Details of station yards and marshalling yards –
• Signalling, interlocking of signals and points –
• Principles of track circuiting –
• Control systems of train movements – ATC, CTC
• track circuiting

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 Switch Angle
 Also known as Angle of Switch Divergence
 Angle between running faces of stock rail & tongue rail
 For fast moving train, small switch angle is desirable
 Depend on
 Heel Divergence
 Length of tongue rail

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 Case – I
 Thickness of tongue rail at toe = 0

Switch Angle = Heel Divergence / Length of tongue rail

d = heel divergence
S = length of tongue rail

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 Case – II
 Thickness of tongue rail at toe = t

Switch Angle = (Heel Divergence – Thickness) / Length of tongue rail

S1 = actual length of tongue rail

S2 = theoretical length of tongue rail
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Throw of Switch

 Distance through which toe of tongue rail moves

sideways
 In India, generally 11.4cm is provided
Type of Track Throw of Switch
BG 9.5cm
MG & NG 8.9cm

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 Flare
 Gradual widening of flangeway formed by bending the end of check
rail or wing rail away from gauge line
 Provided to guide the path so that flange wheels enters & leaves
the track smoothly

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Length of Tongue Rails & Stock Rails
 Length of tongue rail depend on value of switch angle
 Longer tongue rails will increase overall length of turnout
 Shorter tongue rails will increase angle of switch
 Length of tongue rail should be longer than rigid wheel base
of a four wheel vehicle  before a wheel leaves another
wheel comes on tongue rail to prevent opening of toe
 Actual length of tongue rail should be as large as possible:
 To reduce switch angle for a given heel divergence
 To maintain high speed at turnouts,
 To reduce jolting effect

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 Min. Length of Tongue Rail

S = Theoretical length of tongue rail (m)

R = Radius of curve at turnout in m
 = Angle of crossing

 Length of stock rail should be > that of tongue rail

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 CROSSINGS

• It is a arrangement of rails 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.
• To achieve this objective, a gap is provided from the throw to the nose of
the crossing, over which the flanged wheel glides or jumps.
• In order to ensure that this flanged wheel negotiates the gap properly and
does not strike the nose, the other wheel is guided with the help of check
rails.
Components of
Crossing

•Two rails, point rail and splice rail, which are machined to form a nose. The
point rail ends at the nose, whereas the splice rail joins it a little behind the
nose.
•Theoretically, the point rail should end in a point and be made as thin as
possible, but such a knife edge of the point rail would break off under the
movement of traffic.
•The toe of the blunt nose is called the actual nose of crossing (ANC) and
the theoretical point where the gauge faces from both sides intersect is
called the theoretical nose of crossing (TNC).
•Two wing rails consisting of a right-
hand and a left-hand wing rail that
converge to form a throat and diverge
again on either side of the nose. Wing
rails are flared at the ends to facilitate
the entry and exit of the flanged wheel
in the gap.

•A pair of check rails to guide the

wheel flanges and provide a path for
them, thereby preventing them from
moving sideways, which would
otherwise may result in the wheel
hitting the nose of the crossing as it
moves in the facing direction.
Requirements

 Rigid – to withstand severe vibrations

 Resist wear of nose – Special steel is used
 Rigid & long crossing body – short crossing body has
tendency to rock due to heavy loads at one end & lifting of
other unloaded end
 Sufficient thickness for nose – equal to thickness of web of
rail

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Types of Crossings

1. Based on shape of crossing

1. Acute angle crossing or “V” crossing
2. Obtuse angle crossing or Diamond crossing
3. Square crossing
2. Based on assembly of crossing
1. Spring or movable wing crossing
2. Ramped crossing

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 Acute Angle Crossing

 Widely used
 Angle of intersection of approaching rails is
acute.
 For example, when a right rail crosses a left rail,
it makes an acute crossing.

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  Obtuse Angle Crossing
 LH rail of one track crosses RH rail of another
track or vice versa at obtuse angle
 Long wing rails act as check rails & do not carry
the wheels as in case of acute angle crossing

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 Square Crossing
 Two straight tracks cross each other at right angles
 Must be avoided on main lines
 Heavy wear due to dynamic loads

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Based on assembly of crossing

 Spring or Movable Crossing

 One wing rail is movable & held against ‘Vee’ of the
crossing with strong helical spring
 Makes the track continuous
 Useful when high speed traffic on main track & light speed
traffic on branch line

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 Ramped Crossing
 Used for complicated yard layout with heavy but slow
traffic
 Throat to nose clearance is negotiated by special
manganese steel blocks over long distance
 Entire wheel load comes on flange

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Theoretical & Actual Nose of Crossing
 Point rail is not made to have a well-defined sharp point due
to chance of breaking under traffic actions
 Blunt nose is provided [Actual Nose of Crossing (ANC)]
 Theoretical or True Nose of Crossing (TNC)
 It is the sharp imaginary point where two gauge faces (for acute
angle crossing) or gauge face sloping obtuse angle crossing would
meet
Distance b/w TNC & ANC

N = No. of crossings
 t = Thickness of nose of
crossing

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TNC

ANC

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 Number of Crossings (N)

 Methods of calculating number of crossings or angle of crossing

 Right Angle or Cole’s Method
 Centre Line Method
 Isosceles Triangle Method

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 Right Angle or Cole’s Method
TNC b

a
c

ab – point rail
ac – point or splice rail
bc – spread at leg of crossing = 1

 Adopted in Indian Railways

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 Centre Line Method

Measurement is taken along a line

bisecting the crossing angle.
Adopted in UK & USA

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 Isosceles Triangle Method

In this case, the measurement is

taken along one of the sides of an
isosceles triangle.
This method is used for the layouts
of tramways

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STATION YARDS

YARD: System of tracks laid usually on a level within defined

limits, for receiving, storing, sorting, making up new trains,
dispatch of vehicles and for other purposes over which
movements are not authorized by a time table, may be made,
subject to the prescribed rules, regulations & signals.

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TYPES OF YARDS

1. PASSENGER YARDS
2. GOODS YARD
3. MARSHALLNG YARDS
4. LOCOMOTIVE YARDS

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PASSENGER YARDS

•Facility for safe movement of passengers and vehicles for use of

passengers
• platforms: a raised level surface from where passengers board from
trains or loading & unloading of goods is done.
•Two types:
• Passenger platforms
• Goods platforms

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PASSENGER PLATFORMS

•It should be covered for a min. Distance of 60m of their length

•Min. Width of 3.66m of platform should be paved
•Ends of raised platforms should have ramp of max. Slope 1:6
•Provide adequate lighting
•Provide adequate drinking water facilities
•Name of station should be written in bold letters in Hindi, English and
regional language
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DIMENSIONS OF PASSENGER PLATFORMS

LENGTH:
Governed by length of longest train(excluding engine length)
Min. length of platforms – 180m for all gauges
Desirable length of platforms – 305m for B.G
WIDTH:
Width varies with importance of station
Min. permissible width – 3.66m
ELEVATION WITH RESPECT TO RAIL LEVEL:
Three types of platform- rail level, low level, high level platforms
High level platforms are not preferred due to danger of passenger accidents.
For BG – 762 mm to 838 mm
For MG – Rail level or 305 mm to 406 mm 32
For NG - Rail level or 406 mm to 229 mm
GOODS PLATFORMS
•Used for loading & unloading of goods
•Goods platforms are generally higher to negotiate with high
wagon floors. Easy handling of goods
•Provide proper drainage facilities
•Goods sheds should be provided at platforms and weighing
arrangements
•Min. width – 3.1m
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GOODS YARD

•Provide facility for receiving, loading and unloading , delivery of

goods and movement of goods vehicles.
•All stations except flag stations are provided with goods yard.
•Loading & unloading in goods platforms
•Storing in goods sheds 34
35
MARSHALLNG YARDS

•It is one where trains and other loads are received, sorted out and
new trains formed and despatched towards their destinations
•Loaded & empty goods wagons are first received from different
lines, then wagons are separated, sorted out and despatched on
full trains for each lines.
•Act as distribution centers.
•Empty wagons are kept at marshalling yards.
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MARSHALLNG YARDS

Important functions of Marshalling Yard

Reception
Sorting
Departure
Sidings for each functions are provided
Reception siding
Sorting siding
Departure siding
Sidings: when a branch line from main line terminates at dead end
with a sand hump, it is called siding
Basic function: temporary storage of wagons 37
TYPES OF MARSHALLING
YARDS

1. FLAT YARDS
• Flat yards are constructed on flat ground, or on a gentle
slope
• Sorting work is done
• Entire space of yard is level
• Movements of wagons are by engines.
• Costly arrangement due to more consumption of power for
engines 38
2. GRAVITATIONAL YARDS
•Tracks are laid at a gradient
•Whole yard is set up on a continuous falling gradient
•Wagons can move under gravity
•Movements of wagons are controlled by wagon brakes manually
•Thus movements of wagons are carried out by gravity
accompanied by engine power 39
3. HUMP YARD
•Largest and most effective classification yards,
•Artificial hills are provided and wagons are pushed upon hump by
engine. Hump is located at entrance of sidings
•Wagons roll by gravity in sidings onto their destination track
•Shunting operations are done by gravity
•Shunting operations are done more quickly than flat or gravitational
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yards
•Economical – no power to move wagons
Rate of movement of wagons depend upon
Weather conditions
Weight of wagons

a ge ) Movement of wagons
a lst
iti under gravity
nd(In
g E r 1:175 1:50 1:15
hi n 0
Pus 1 :50 o 1:300

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Hump- yard gradients

Stopping of wagons rolling down at exact place is by following methods
1. Manual method – Manually apply wagon brakes at exact place of
stoppage
2. Automatic method – fixing type blocks or bars called retarders are used
on either side of rails. Retarders are operated electrically .Press against
sides of moving wheels and stop wagons.
3. Skids may be placed on rails. A moving wagon will drag the skid &
friction thus developed will prevent further movement of wagon.
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 LOCOMOTIVE YARDS
•Provided for cleaning, Repairing, servicing, watering , oiling etc of
locomotives.
Requirements
•There should be a clear run from traffic yard to turntable.
•The turntable should not form obstruction to any locomotives entering
yard
•A second entrance should be available from traffic yard to fuel platform.
•The loop line for fuel platform should be long enough to accommodate the
longest train
•The engine shed should accommodate maximum number of engines for
repairs at same time
•The overhead tank and loco-well should be near loco sheds 43

•Sufficient space for future expansion

TURNTABL
ES

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ENGINE SHEDS

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