Amit Manekar

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Aptitude Made Simple

Problems on Trains

Various competitive examinations ask questions regularly based on Trains.

In order to understand concept better way, please refer Time and Distance document
before going through this document.

Recap of Time and Distance document:

Distance = Speed * Time

Term Symbol
Meter m
Second s
Hour hr
Kilometer km
Kilometer per hour km/hr or kmph
 Term Meaning
1 hour 60 minutes
1 minute 60 seconds
1 hour 3600 seconds
1 kilometer 1000 meters
Kilometer per hour Km/hr or kmph

Conversion Table 1: Try to remember

Speed in Km/hr Speed in m/s

18 5
36 10
54 15
72 20
90 25

Conversion Table 2: Try to remember

Speed in m/s Speed in Km/hr

1 3.6
2 7.2
5 18
10 36
20 72

Conversion formulae:
Km/hr -> m/s [ Multiply by 5/18]
m/s -> Km/hr [ Multiply by 18/5 or Multiply by 3.6]
Types of Problems:

Type Given To Find

Speed of Train, Time to cover
Type 1(Pole
distance, Length of Train 3rd value
Tree, Man
(Any 2 values Given)
standing)
Type
Length of Bridge, Length of Train,
2(Bridge
Time to cover Bridge, Speed of 4th value
Platform
Train (Any 3 values Given)
etc.)

Type 3 2 Trains same direction Speed/ Length of any Train

Type 4 2 Trains opposite direction Speed/ Length of any Train

We will understand concept of each Type of problem before actually solving

specific Type of Problem

Type 1: Pole, Tree, Man standing [Stationary]

Let say you go to beach and take 1 bucket water out of it. How much water reduced
from sea? It is almost negligible right?

In similar way:

Imagine you are driving a Train . Now if you have to overtake standing person or pass
tree. What could be length of person or tree with respect to your Train? Do you agree it
is negligible in front of your Train.

So here you can conclude the distance cover by train to overtake person, tree or
pole is same as length of Train.
Problem 1:

A train 100 m long is running at speed of 30km/hr. Find the time taken by it to pass
man standing near the railway station.

Solution :

Train length = 100 m

Speed of Train= 30 km/hr = 30 * = m/s

Time To pass Man standing = ?

As we know in order to pass man, train has to cover distance as her length

=
∗
= = = = = 12
/

Answer is Time taken by Train to pass man standing near railway station is 12
seconds

Problem 2:

In what time will train 100 meters long cross an electric pole if its speed be 144 km/hr?

Solution :

Train length = 100 m

Speed of Train= 30 km/hr = 144 * = 8 * 5 = 40 m/s

Time To pass Man standing = ?

As we know in order to pass electric pole, train has to cover distance as her length

= = = = 2.5
Answer is Time taken by Train to cross electric pole is 2.5 seconds

Problem 3:

A train 280 m long running with speed of 63 km/hr will pass tree in?
Solution :

Train length = 280 m

Speed of Train= 63 km/hr = 63 * =7* = m/s

Time To pass Tree = ?

As we know in order to pass tree, train has to cover distance as her length

∗
= = = = = 16
/

Answer is Time taken by Train to pass tree is 16 seconds

Problem 4:

A train 132 m long passes electric pole in 6 seconds. Find the speed of train in km/hr.
Solution :

Train length = 132 m

Time to cross pole = 6 seconds
Speed of Train= ?

As we know in order to pass electric pole, train has to cover distance as her length

And this distance is travelled by Train in 6 seconds

 =

= = 22 m/s

=22 * = = 79.2 km/hr

Answer is Speed of Train is 79.2 km/hr

Type 2: Bridge Platform etc.

Let us look at other real time example.

You are driving train at Kolkata and you are passing via Howrah Bridge. Can you say
that Bridge length is negligible as compared to Train length?

Obviously not. If your train length is 500 m, Bridge could be 200 m or 800 m or
sometimes platform or tunnel like 1kmor 2km.
On order to cover platform or bridge, So when your train start at platform and your last
boggie of train cross end of platform then you can say you completely crossed platform

So in these problems:
Distance covered by train to pass bridge or platform = Length of Train + Length
of platform

Problem 1:

A train moving at a speed of 132 km/hr. If length of the train is 110 meters, how long it
will take to cross a railway platform 165 m long?

Solution :

Speed of Train = 132 km/hr = 132 * = 66 * = 22 * = m/s

Length of Train = 110 m

Railway platform length = 165m

In order to cross railway platform Train has to cover its distance + Length of Platform
Distance to cover = 110 m + 165 m = 275 m

∗ ∗ ∗
= = = = = = 7.5
/

Answer is Train will cross platform of 165m length in 7.5 seconds

Problem 2:

How long does a train 110 meters long running at speed of 72 km/hr take to cross a
bridge of 132 meters in length?

Solution :

Speed of Train = 72 km/hr = 72 * = 4 * 5 = 20 m/s

Length of Train = 110 m

Bridge length = 132m

In order to Bridge Train has to cover its distance + Length of Bridge

Distance to cover = 110 m + 132 m = 242 m

= = = 12.1

Answer is Train will cross Bridge of 132 m length in 12.1 seconds

Problem 3:

A goods train running at speed of 72 km/hr and crosses 250 m long platform in 26
seconds. What is length of goods train?

Solution :

Speed of Train = 72 km/hr = 72 * = 4 * 5 = 20 m/s

Platform length = 250 m and it is crossed by Goods Train in 26 seconds

Length of Train = ?

In order to cross platform Train has to cover its length + Length of Platform
Let us assume Train length as x meters
Distance covered = x + 250

X + 250 meters distance covered in 26 seconds.

As Train speed is 20 m/s :

In 26 seconds it will cover Distance = Speed * Time
= 20 * 26 = 520 m

We know that distance covered in 26 seconds is x + 250

So x + 250 = 520
x = 520 – 250 = 270 m

Answer is Length of Goods Train is 270 m

Problem 4:

A train 800 meters long running at speed of 78 km/hr. If it crosses a tunnel in 1 minute
then length of tunnel in meters is?
Solution :

65
Speed of Train = 78 km/hr = 78 * = 13 * =
3
m/s

Length of Train = 800 m

Crosses Tunnel in 1 minute [60 seconds]

In order to cross Tunnel, Train has to cover its length + Length of Tunnel
Let us assume Tunnel length as x meters
Distance covered = 800 + x

800 + x meters distance covered in 60 seconds.

As Train speed is m/s

In 60 seconds it will cover Distance = Speed * Time
= * 60 = 65 * 20 = 1300 m

We know that distance covered in 60 seconds is 800 + x

So 800 + x = 1300
x = 1300 – 800 = 500 m

Answer is Length of Tunnel is 500 m

Relative Speed Concept:

Imagine, have you ever seating in train and observing other train going for same
direction or from opposite direction?

You would have always seen from window of train that who is coming from opposite
side is travelling faster than our train.
And if you see other train which is going at same direction as your train, you will feel
next train slow even though its speed greater than you.

Why it happens? It is because of relative speed.

When 2 trains travels in opposite direction they cross other very fast and when they are
in same direction, crossing happens very slowly.
When Train traveling from opposite direction,
Relative speed = Speed of Train1 + Speed of Train2

When both Trains are travelling in same direction,

Relative speed = Difference of 2 Trains speeds
If Speed of Train2 > Speed of Train1 then -> Speed of Train2 – Speed of Train1
If Speed of Train1 > Speed of Train2 then -> Speed of Train1 – Speed of Train2

Type 3: 2 Trains same direction

Problem 1:

Two trains 100 meters and 120 meters long are running in the same direction with
speed of 72km/hr and 54 km/hr. In how much time 1st train will cross second?
Solution :

Train1 Length = 100 m

Train2 Length = 120 m

Train 1 Speed = 72 km/hr = 72 * = 4 * 5 = 20 m/s

Train 2 Speed = 54 km/hr = 54 * = 3 * 5 = 15 m/s

Train1 and Train2 travelling in same direction
How much time Train1 will cross Train2 = ?

As we know train travelling in same direction ,

Relative Speed for Train1 = Train1 Speed – Train2

= 20 – 15 = 5 m/s

For Train1, In order to cross Train 2, it has cover Train1 Length + Train2 Length

Distance to be covered = 100 + 120 = 220 m

= = 44 seconds
Answer is Train1 will cross Train2 in 44 seconds

Problem 2:

Two trains of equal length running on parallel lines in the same direction at 46 km/hr
and 36 km/hr. The faster train passes slower train in 36 seconds.
The length of each train is?
Solution :

Train1 Length = Train2 Length

∗
Train 1 Speed = 46 km/hr =46 * = = m/s
∗
Train 2 Speed = 36 km/hr =36 * = = m/s
As Train1 Speed > Train2 speed [46 > 36] . Hence Train1 is faster
Train2 is slower
Faster train [Train1] passes slower Train[Train2] in 36 seconds
Length of Trains =?

Let us assume Length of Trains as x meters

Train1 Length = Train2 Length = x meters

For Train1, in order to pass Train2 need to cover = Length of Train1 + Length of Train2
Distance to be covered by Train1 to pass Train2 = x + x = 2x meters

Relative speed = Speed of Train1 – Speed of Train1

= − = m/s

Train1 Passed Train2 in 36 seconds

Distance = Speed * Time
= * 36 = 25 * 4 = 100 m

We know that distance covered is 2x

So 2x = 100 m
x = 50 m

Answer is Length of Train1 and Train2 is 50 m

Type 4: 2 Trains opposite direction

Problem 1:

A Train 108 m lon moving at speed of 50 km/hr crosses a train 112 m long coming from
opposite direction in 6 seconds. The speed of Second Train is?

Solution:

Train1 Length = 108 m

Train2 Length = 112 m
∗
Train 1 Speed = 50 km/hr = 50 * = = m/s
Train1 and Train2 travelling in opposite direction
Train1 pass Train2 in 6 seconds
Train 2 Speed = ?

Let us assume speed of Train2 as x m/s

As we know train travelling in opposite direction ,

Relative Speed for Train1 = Train1 Speed + Train2

= + x m/s

For Train1, In order to cross Train 2, it has cover Train1 Length + Train2 Length

Distance to be covered = 108 + 112 = 220 m

This distance is covered in 6 seconds

= m/s

We know that Relative speed is + x m/s

125
So +x=
9
x= -

( ∗ ) ( ∗ )
= = = m/s
∗ = 82 km/hr

Answer is Train2 speed is 82 km/hr

Problem 2:

Two trains each 100 m long, moving in opposite directions, crosses each other in 8
seconds. If one is moving as twice as fast as other, then speed of Faster train is?

Solution:

Let us Assume Train1 is faster and Train2 slower

Train1 Length = 100 m

Train2 Length = 100 m
Travelling in opposite direction.
Train1 crosses Train2 in 8seconds.
Speed of Fast Train (Train1) =?

Let us assume speed of Train2 x m/s

As Faster train speed = 2 * Speed of slower Train
Speed of Train1 = 2 * Speed of Train2 = 2x m/s

Train1 to pass Train2 it needs to cover distance = Length of Train1 + Length of Train2
= 100 + 100 = 200 m

As we know train travelling in opposite direction ,

Relative Speed for Train1 = Train1 Speed + Train2 Speed

= 2x + x = 3x m/s

Train1 has crossed Train2 in 8 seconds.

Distance = Speed * Time
= 3x * 8 = 24x
We know that distance is = 200 m

24x =200
x= = m/s

Faster Train(Train1 speed) = 2x = 2 * = m/s

∗
∗ = = 60 km/hr

Answer is Speed of Faster train is 60 km/hr