Railway Engineering.

Eng. Pantheer Majak

Bsc. Of Civil Engineering

MENG. Of industrial Engineering

S.E.A, Department of Civil Engineering
 What is Railway Engineering?
• The branch of Civil Engineering which deals with the design, construction and
maintenance of the railway tracks for safe and efficient movements of trains.
• Railway:-A track formed of rails of iron or steel along which trains are driven.
• Rolling stock:- The locomotives, passenger coaches and goods wagons which roll or run
on railway tracks.
• Locomotive:- The mechanical device which transfers chemical energy of fuel into
mechanical energy in the form of motion.
• Wagons :- The goods compartments
• Coaches or vehicles :- The passenger compartments
• Coaching stock :- All types of vehicles that run in passenger trains
• Goods stock :- Wagons used for movement of goods, heavy and bulky commodities

Flow of operations

Rolling Stock
Coaching
Locomotives Goods Stock
Steam Passenger Stock Covered Open Top
Vans
Locomotives
Diesel Vans Coaches Wagons Stock
High wall
Mail Vans
Locomotives
Electric Wagons
Small
Luggage Vans
Locomotives Wagons
Without wall
Parcel Vans
Wagons
Brake Vans Others
Others

Purposes of Rail ways:-

• Railways means of transporting men and materials for large distance in the country.
• Transporting the finished products to the marketing centers.
• Railways helped in developing cultural and social ties among the people.
 • Most countries depend on railways for their development.
Purposes and advantages of Railways
• Railways provide convenient and safe means of transporting people and goods.
• Railways help in uniting the people of different religious, customs and traditions living in
different parts of a country and strengthen national unity.
• Railways help in developing cultural and social ties among the people living in different
parts of a country.
• Railways act as a special pilgrims and travelers who wish to visit far places of their
interest with safety, comfort and economical.
• Railway facility cheap and convenient communication of bulks of letters, parcels and
heavy goods like raw materials, coal, ores, etc. from mines and manufacturing concerns
within a country.
• Railways grow the trade and industrial development in a country.
• Railways increase the value of land due to industrial development.
• Railways help in providing efficient distribution of natural resources and agricultural
products.
• Railways help in price stabilization of commodities due to mobility of products in all
parts of a country.
• Railways provide employment opportunities to people on a large scale and thus help in
reducing unemployment problem of the

South Sudan Railway

• South Sudan has 248 km (154 mi) of single-track 1,067 mm a Narrow gauge (3ft 6in)
gauge railway line from the Sudanese border to Wau terminus.
• There are proposed extensions from Wau to Juba.
• There are also plans to link Juba with the Kenyan and Ugandan railway networks.
• was constructed between 1959–1962, a serious state of disrepair.
Babonosa (Sudan) with the city of Wau in South Sudan.
SYSTEMS OF RAILWAYS
1. Surface railways; provided over the ground surface, most extensively used throughout
the world.
2. Elevated railways; is constructed and the track is carried on its steel deck. Cause little
obstruction due to piers, columns supporting the track.
Elevated railways are suitable in the heavily congested urban areas where the underground
railways cannot be constructed.
3. Underground railways; The railways provided just below ground level. Tunnels are
constructed for carrying tracks through them and an over.
Due to ventilation problems in tunnels, electricity is the only source of power for traction in
underground railways

Advantages of Underground railway

 This system provides rapid and unobstructed transportation.
 This system helps in reducing traffic congestion problems.
 This system provides safety during aerial attack in war.
 Underground railways are suitable in the heavily congested urban areas where the
traffic intensity on roads is heavy.

4. Tube railways
• The railway provided underground at a greater depth of about 18 m or more (up to 52
m)
• to avoid the interference of the tracks with water and gas pipes, sewerage systems and
oil or drainage pipes,
i. The railways stations have to be of cylindrical form.
ii. Escalators or moving stair cases are to be constructed to reach the tube railways.
iii. Only electric traction to be used to avoid the smoke and ventilation problems.
iv. Automatic signaling system is to be used.
 v. The train is to be used that it cannot start until all the doors are closed, and it
automatically stops, if the signal is at ‘STOP’ position.
vi. This system of railways is used by the London Post Office in transporting mails through a
small diameter tunnel with automatic control without any driver.

PERMANENT WAY
Components of a permanent way
 Formation or sub grade
 Ballast
 Sleepers
 Rails
 Fixtures and fastenings

Principal requirements of an ideal permanent way

i. The gauge of the permanent way should be uniform, correct and it should not get
altered.
ii. Both the rails should be at the same level on tangent (straight) portion of the track.
iii. Proper amount of super elevation should be provided to the outer rail above the inner
rail on curved portion of the track.
Design of Permanent way
 The permanent way should be sufficiently strong against lateral forces.
 The curves, provided in the track, should be properly designed.
 An even and uniform gradient should be provided through out the length of the track.
 The attractive resistance of the track should be minimizing.
The design of the permanent way should be such that the load of the train is uniformly
distributed on both the rails so as to prevent unequal settlement of the track
 It should provide adequate elasticity in order to prevent the harshness of impacts
between the rails and the moving wheel loads of a train.
 It should be so constructed that
 It should be free from excessive rail joints and all the joining should be properly
designed and constructed.
 All the components parts such as rails, sleepers, ballast, fixtures and fastenings, etc.
should satisfy the design requirements.
 All the fixtures and fastenings such as chairs, bearing plates, fish plates, fish bolts, spikes
etc. should be strong enough to withstand the stresses occurring in the track.
  All the points and crossings, laid in the permanent way, should be properly designed and
carefully constructed.
 It should be provided with fence near level crossings and also in urban areas.
 It should be provided with proper drainage facilities so as to drain off the rain water
quickly away from the track.
 It should be provided with safe and strong bridges coming in the alignment of the track.
 It should be provided with safe and strong bridges coming in the alignment of the track.

Track Formation
Track transfer train loads to the formation.
Trains running on Track do not cause excessive environmental pollution in the form of noise
and ground vibration.
Requirements for Choosing a Track System:
1. Costs of the total service life of the track must be as low as possible.
2. Maintenance should be low and as inexpensive as possible
Load Bearing Function of the Track.
The load transfer works on the principle of stress reduction - layer by layer.
1. The greatest stress occurs between wheel and rail and is in the order of 30 kN/cm2 (=
300 MPa).
2. Between rail and sleeper the stress is two orders smaller and diminishes between
sleeper and ballast bed down to about 30 N/cm2.
3. Finally the stress on the formation is only about 5 N/cm2.

GAUGE
What is Gauge?
The clear horizontal distance between the inner (running) faces of the two rails forming a track
 gauge

Design Experiments
• First, the wheels of the railway vehicles were provided with flanges on outside and the
distance between the outer faces of rails of a track were considered as gauge.
• The first track was laid in England with an outside gauge of 1.524m. After sometime it
was found advantageous to provide flanges on inner side of the wheels for easy turning
of trains from one track to another.
• The change was made without interfering with rails.
 • This converted the gauge from 1524 mm (5’) to 1435 mm (4’-8½’’) due to reduction of
two rail head widths, each 44.45 mm (1¾”).
• This gauge of 1435 mm has been universally used in Great Britain, France, Germany,
U.S.A., Canada and most other countries of Europe and is thus known as the world
standard gauge.

TYPES OF GAUGES
1. Broad gauge (1676), when the clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is 1676mm that is gauge. Standard gauge of India and is the
broadest gauge of the world.
2. Meter gauge (1000), when the clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is 1000mm, Meter Gauge (M.G) countries using Meter
gauge are France, Switzerland, Argentine, etc.
3. Narrow gauge (762 mm & 610 mm). When the clear horizontal distance between the
inner faces of two parallel rails forming a track is either 762mm or 610mm

Broad gauge suitability

 When sufficient funds are available for the railway project.
 When the prospects of revenue are very bright.
This gauge is used for tracks in plain areas which are densely populated i.e. for routes of
maximum traffic, intensities and at places which are centers of industry and commerce.

Meter Gauge suitability

• When the funds available for the railway project are inadequate.
• When the prospects of revenue are not very bright.
This gauge is used for tracks in under-developed areas and in interior areas where traffic
intensity is small and prospects for future development are not very bright.

Narrow gauge suitability

• Narrow gauge (N.G) the countries using narrow gauge are Britain, South Africa, etc.
 • When the construction of a track with wider gauge is prohibited due to the provision of
sharp curves, steep gradients, narrow bridges and tunnels etc.
• When the prospects of revenue are not very bright. This gauge is, therefore, used in hilly
and very thinly populated areas. The feeder gauge is commonly used for feeding raw
materials to big government manufacturing concerns as well as to private factories such
as steel plants, oil refineries, sugar factories, etc.

Factors Affecting the Adoption of a Particular Gauge.

 Intensity of Population.
 Intensity of Traffic.
 Industrial and Commercial development of the Locality.
 Prospects of future development of the area.
 Funds available for the railway project.
 Topographical and Geological Features of the country.

Effects of Breaking the Gauge

Topographical, Geological and Financial conditions could lead to adopt various gauges in
different parts of a country.

Advantages of Breaking the Gauge

• The most effective advantage of breaking the gauge is to render the railway an
economical and profitable concern.

• It facilitates the provision of a steeper gradient, sharp curves and narrow tunnels by
adopting a less wide gauge in hilly and rocky areas.

Disadvantages of Breaking the Gauge

• It causes much inconvenience to the passengers while changing the train at station, with
change of gauge.
• It causes delay in movement of people and goods.
• It results in wastage of time.
 • It involves extra labor for unloading and reloading the goods. The goods are also likely to
be damaged or dislocated at the junction station, having change of gauge.
• It requires the provision of extra and costly transshipment yards, godowns, sheds, etc.
at every junction station having change of gauge.
• It causes extreme difficulty in quick movement of military and ammunition during war
days.

Ballast (Road Bed Embankment)

• It is a layer of broken stones, gravel or any other such gritty material laid and packed
below and around sleepers.
• Good ballast should be strong, hard-wearing, stable, drainable, easy to clean, workable,
resistant to deformation, easily available, and reasonably cheap to purchase.
• Early railway engineers did not understand the importance of quality track ballast; they
would use cheap and easily-available materials such as ashes, chalk, clay, earth, and
even cinders from locomotive fireboxes.
• It should retain its position and should not be distributed.

Functions of ballast
 To distribute the loads uniformly over the sub
grade.
 To provide good drainage for the track structure.
 To provide elasticity and resilience to track for
getting proper riding comfort.
 To held the track structure to line and grade.
 To reduce dust.
 To prevent growth of brush and weeds

Requirements of Good Ballast

  It should be tough and should not crumble under heavy loads.
 It should not make the track dusty or muddy.
 It should offer resistance to abrasion and weathering.
 It should not produce any chemical reaction with rails and sleepers.
 The materials should be easily workable.

Rails
Is the member of the track laid in two parallel lines to provide an unchanging, continuous, and
level surface for the movement of trains.

Types of Rails
 T rail.
 Plate rail.
 Bridge rail.
 Barlow rail.
 Flat bottomed rail.
 Double-headed rail.
 Bullhead rail.
Function of Rails
• Rails provide a continuous and level surface for the movement of trains.
• Rails provide a pathway which is smooth and has very little friction. The friction between
the steel wheel and the steel rail is about one-fifth of the friction between the
pneumatic tire and a medaled road.
• Rails serve as a lateral guide for the wheels.
• Rails bear the stresses developed due to vertical loads transmitted to them through
axles and wheels of rolling stock as well as due to braking and thermal forces.
• Rails carry out the function of transmitting the load to a large area of the
• Formation through sleepers and the ballast.

Requirements of an Ideal Rail Section

• The rail should have the most economical section consistent with strength, stiffness, and
durability.
• The centre of gravity of the rail section should be very close to the mid-height of the rail
so that the maximum tensile and compressive stresses are equal.
• A rail primarily consists of a head, a web, and a foot, and there should be an economical
and balanced distribution of metal in its various components so that each of them can
fulfill its requirements properly.

Design of rail components

• Head: should have adequate depth to allow for vertical wear. The rail head must be
sufficiently wide so that not only is a wider running surface available, but the rail has the
desired lateral stiffness.
• Web: The web is sufficiently thick to withstand the stresses arising due to the loads
bone by it, after allowing for normal corrosion.
• Foot: The foot should sufficiently thick to withstand vertical and horizontal forces due to
corrosion. The foot should be wide enough for stability against overturning. The design
of the foot should be economically and efficiently rolled.
 • Fishing angles: Fishing angles ensure proper transmission of loads from the rails to the
fish plates. The fishing angles tightening of the plate does not produce any excessive
stress on the web of the rail.
• Height of the rail: it should be adequate so the rail have sufficient vertical stiffness and
strength as a beam.

Standard Rail Section

• The rail is designated by its weight per unit length
• A 52 kg/m rail denotes that it has a weight of 52 kg per meter.
• Every rail rolled has a brand on its web, which is repeated at intervals
• The weight of a rail and its section is decided
(a) Heaviest axle load
(b) Maximum permissible speed
(c) Depth of ballast cushion
(d) Type and spacing of sleepers
(e) Other miscellaneous factors

Standard rail sections

Gauge Rail section Type of Rail length

section

Broad gauge 60 kg/m UIC 13 m (42 ft as per old standards)

52 kg/m IRS
90 lb/yd RBS

Metre gauge 90 lb/yd RBS 12 m (39 ft as per old

75 lb/yd RBS RBS standards), except 90-lb rails,
60 lb/yd RBS which are of 13 m length

Narrow gauge 50 lb/yd RBS 12 m (39 ft as per old standards)

UIC—International Union of Railways, IRS—Indian Railway Standard, RBS—Revised British
Standard.

Rail Joints
The normal rail joints consist of fishplates that are bolted at the
rail ends through a number of bolt holes (either two or three or
more) that have been drilled near the neutral axis in the rail web.
Insulated Rail Joints
 Bonde insulte joints in rails are separate by Electric
circuits in tracks and turnouts.
 To provide track segment isolation for the track
circuitry passed through the rail; This circuitry is
use to identifie train locations and to control
signalling.

Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains
to be guided from one track to another, such as at a railway junction or where a spur or siding
branches off.
-A switch generally has a straight "through" track (such as the main-line) and a diverging route.
The handedness of the installation is described by the side that the diverging track leaves.
Right-hand switches have a diverging path to the right of the straight track, when coming from
the narrow end and a left-handed switch has the diverging track leaving to the opposite side.
-A straight track is not always present; for example, both tracks may curve, one to the left and
one to the right (such as for a wye switch) or both tracks may curve, with differing radii, in the
same direction.
Single Track and Double Track
• A double-track railway usually involves running
one track in each direction, compared to a
single-track railway where trains in both
directions share the same track.

Causes of Rail Failures

• Inherent defects in the rail manufacturing defects in the rail, such as faulty chemical
composition, harmful segregation, piping, seams, laps, and guide marks.
• Defects due to fault of the rolling stock and abnormal traffic effects. Flat spots in tyres,
engine burns, skidding of wheels, severe braking, etc.
• Excessive corrosion of rails-due to weather conditions, the presence of corrosive salts,
leads to the development of cracks in regions with a high concentration of stresses.
• Defects in welding of joints-due to defective welding technique.
• Improper maintenance of track -Ineffective or careless maintenance of the track or
delayed renewal of the track.
• Derailments Damages caused to the rails during derailment

Sleepers
 • are the transverse ties that are laid to support the
rails
• They transmit the wheel load from the rails to the
ballast.

Functions and Requirements of Sleepers

• Holding the rails in their correct gauge and alignment
• Giving a firm and even support to the rails
• Transferring the load evenly from the rails to a wider area of the ballast
• Acting as an elastic medium between the rails and the ballast to absorb the
• blows and vibrations caused by moving loads
• Providing longitudinal and lateral stability to the permanent way
• Providing the means to rectify the track geometry during their service life.

Requirements of Sleepers
• The initial as well as maintenance cost should be minimum.
• The weight of the sleeper should be moderate so that it is convenient to handle.
• The designs of the sleeper and the fastenings should be such that it is possible to fix and
remove the rails easily.
• The sleeper should have sufficient bearing area so that the ballast under it is not
crushed.
• The sleeper should be such that it is possible to maintain and adjust the gauge properly.
• The material of the sleeper and its design should be such that it does not break or get
damaged during packing.
• The design of the sleeper should be such that it is possible to have track circuiting.
• The sleeper should be capable of resisting vibrations and shocks caused by the passage
of fast moving trains.
• The sleeper should have anti-sabotage and anti-theft features.
Sleeper Density and Spacing of Sleepers
• Sleeper density is the number of sleepers per rail length.
• specified as M + x or N + x, where M or N is the length of the rail in meters and x is a
number that varies according to factors such as
(a) Axle load and speed,
(b) Type and section of rails,
(c) Type and strength of the sleepers,
(d) Type of ballast and ballast cushion, and
(e) Nature of formation.
• If the sleeper density is M + 7 on a broad gauge route and the length of the rail is 13 m,
it means that 13 + 7 = 20 sleepers will be used per rail on that route
Types of Sleepers
• Steel Sleepers
• Wooden Sleepers
• Concrete Sleepers

Fastenings
The fastening of rails is usually taken care of
by the fasteners imbedded into the concrete.
Switches & Crossings

Timber Sleepers
• The timber sleepers nearly fulfilled all the
requirements of ideal sleepers and hence they are
universally used. The wood used may be like teak,
sal etc or it may be coniferous like pine,

Advantages of Timber Sleepers

• They are much useful for heavy loads and high speeds
• They have long life of 10-12 years depending upon the climate, condition, rain, intensity,
nature of traffic, quality of wood etc
• Good insulators and hence good for track circuited railway tracks
• They are able to accommodate any gauge
• Suitable for salty regions and coastal areas
• Can be used with any section of rail
• Can be handled and placed easily
• They are not badly damaged in case of derailment
• They are not corroded
• Cheaper than any other types of sleepers
Disadvantages of Timber Sleepers
• Liable to catch fire
• They do not resist creep
• They are affected by dry and wet rot
• Become expensive day by day
• Life is shorter compare to other
• Liable to be attacked by vermin so, they must be properly treated before use
Steel sleepers
• They are in the form of steel trough inverted on which
rails are fixed directly by keys or nuts and bolts and
used along sufficient length of tracks.
Advantages of Steel sleepers
• Have a useful life of 20-25 years.
• Free from decay and are not attacked by vermin’s
• Connection between rail and sleeper is stronger
• Connection between rail and sleeper is simple
• More attention is not required after laying
• Having better lateral rigidity
• Good scrap value
• Suitable for high speeds and load
• Easy to handle
• Good resistance against creep

Disadvantages of Steel sleepers

• Liable to corrosion by moisture and should not because in salty regions
• Good insulators and hence cannot be used in track circuited regions
• Cannot be used for all sections of rails and gauges
• Should not be laid with any other types of ballast except store
• Very costly
• Can badly damaged under derailments
 • Way gauge is obtained if the keys are over driven
• The rail seat is weaker
• Having good shock absorber as there is not cushion between rail foot and ballast.

Cast Iron Sleepers

• They consist of two pots or plates with rib and connected by wrought iron tie bar of
section of about 2" ½" each pot or plate is placed below each rail. The pot is oval in
shape with larger diameter 2'-0" and smaller diameter 1'-8" is preferred.
• Plate sleepers consist of rectangular plates of size about 2' – 10' x 1' – 0".
• The relative advantages and disadvantages are given below.

Advantages of Cast Iron Sleepers

• Long life up to 50-60 years- High scrape value as they can be remolded
• Can be manufactured locally - Provided sufficient bearing area
• Much stronger at the rail seat - Prevent and check creep of rail
• They are not attacked by vermin

Disadvantages Cast Iron Sleepers

• They are prone to corrosion and cannot be used in salty formations and coastal areas -
Not suitable for track circuited portions of railways
• Can badly damage under derailment
• Difficult to maintain the gauge as the two pots are independent
• Require a large number of fastening materials - Difficult to handle and may be easily
damaged - Lack of good shock absorber - They are expensive.

Concrete sleepers
• R.C.C and pre-stressed concrete sleepers are now replacing all other types of sleepers
except to some special circumstances such as crossing bridges etc here timber sleepers
are used.
 • They were first of all used in France round about in 1914 but are common since 1950.
They may be a twin block sleepers joined by an angle iron. It may be a single block pre-
stressed type.

Advantages Concrete Sleepers

• Durable with life range from 40-50 years
• They can be produced on large quantities locally by installing a plant
• Heavier than all other types thus giving better lateral stability to the track
• Good insulators and thus suitable for use in track circuited lines
• Efficient in controlling creep - They are not attacked by corrosion
• Free from attacks of vermin and decay, suitable for all types of soils
• Most suitable for welded tracks- Prevent buckling more efficiently
• Initial cost is high but proves to be economical in long run
• Effectively and strongly hold the track to gauge
• Inflammable and fire resistant

Disadvantages Concrete Sleepers

• Difficult to be handled
• Difficult to be manufactured in different sizes thus cannot be used in bridges and
crossing
• Can be damaged easily while loading and unloading

Level Crossing

Points & Crossings

 Refresh your memory
1. What are the requirements of sleepers used in a railway track? Give a neat sketch of a typical
BG mono-block pre-stressed sleeper. What are its advantages and drawbacks?
2. List the various types of sleepers used in the world Railways. Which one would you consider
to be the best for modern tracks and why?
3 Discuss the factors on which sleeper density depends. How is sleeper density expressed?
Determine the number of sleepers required for the construction of a 640-m-long BG railway
track, ensuring a sleeper density of (N + 7).

Curves and Super elevation

Circular Curves
Degree of the curve
• D = 1750/R (when R is in meters)
• D = 5730/R (when R is in feet)
• A 2° curve, therefore, has a radius of 1750/2 = 875 m.
Thanks.

Summarized By: 5th year Student

MaKur Marek Manyiel 16-CEN-174
University of Juba School of Engineering. Dept. Civil Eng.
Year 2023-10-28