Railway Engineering

Lecture 5
Layout of Railway Track (w.r.t
operation)
Layout is an arrangement or a plan,
especially the schematic arrangement
of parts or areas.
There are four basic ways of arranging
the tracks:
Continuous loop
Point to point
Out and back
Shunting
Continuous Loop:
It is equivalent to a circle or oval in
which track runs around
indefinitely or it can be defined
as a circle or oval, with trains
going round and round.
Point to point:

The point to point layout is the simplest

layout possible, with the absolute
minimum amount of track being built.
The line goes from one station directly
to the other. The problem with this
style of design is each new station
requires an entire new line.
Out And Back:
A pear shaped track, with trains
leaving a station, going round a
reversing loop, and coming back
to the same station.
Shunting Puzzles:
Shunting puzzles usually consist of
a specific track layout and a set
of rules which must be obeyed
while performing the shunting
operations (push or pull a train or
part of a train from the main line
to a siding or from one line of
rails to another.
Layout of track (w.r.t
geometry/alignment)
The geometry of the tracks is three-
dimensional by nature, but the
standards that express the speed limits
and other regulations in the areas of
track gauge, alignment, elevation,
curvature and the basic track geometry
is usually expressed in two separate
Layouts:
1. horizontal layout
2. Vertical layout
 Horizontal layout
Track
Tangent Curved transition
track track curve
Any straight Any Curved Track
portion of a portion of a transition
railway railway curve where
alignment. alignment. a straight
section
changes into
a curve.
 Horizontal layout
Track
transition
Tangent track Curved track curve
Vertical Layout
Vertical layout is the track layout
on the vertical plane.
It involves concepts such as
 Cross level
 Cant
 Gradient
Vertical Layout
 Cross Level:

Difference in elevation (height)

between the top surfaces of the two rails at any
point of railroad track.

 Cant:
Difference in elevation between the outer rail
and the inner rail is called cant.
 Positive Cant (When outside rail is at higher
elevation than inside rail).
 Negative Cant (When outside rail is at lower
elevation than inside rail).
Vertical Layout
 Gradient:
Relative elevation of the two rails
along the track is called Track Gradient.
Usually expressed in the distance traveled
horizontally for a rise of one unit.
Construction of Railway Track
1. Preliminary Works (Surveying)
 To understand the nature of the country and be able
to assess its economic potential, gradient, curvature,
the necessity for cuts and fills, bridging and
tunneling, all has to be considered.
 The most suitable and cost-effective facility should be
chosen.

2. Site Clearance
Site clearance involves;
 removal and disposal of trees, bushes, turf and
topsoil.
 Clearance of recovered track materials as well as any
kind of refuse or obstructions.
3. Earthwork:
This work includes;
 Filling and cutting to the required heights and
widths.
 Constructing side drains where existing drains
are affected by new embankments and cuttings.
 Any excavated material not required at the site
should be disposed off.
4. Drainage Works:
It involves the construction of;
 Catch drains, drainage channels, and sub-soil
drains.
 Excavation for drainage includes excavation for
culverts and open drains.
5. Placing of Ballast:
 Layer of “bottom ballast” is placed and
compacted on an already placed sub-ballast
with the top surface about 2 to 4 inches [50 to
100 mm] below the final elevation of the
bottoms of the cross ties.
 Accomplished using conventional road building
equipment such as
a spreader box and bulldozer or motor grader.
6. Placing Cross Ties:
 Sleepers or Cross ties is a rectangular support
for rails in railway track.
 These are laid perpendicular to the rails, ties
transfer loads to the track
ballast and subgrade.
 These are typically made up of steel, concrete
or wood.
7. Rail Layout:
Laying the rail and other track material
is a decision that must be well thought
out.
It involves laying of rails and fastenings
like
 bolts.
 spikes, or any other OTM (other track
material).
8.Dumping of Top Ballast:
To introduce more ballast into the skeleton track
structure.
 Ultimate goal in this step is to have a cross
section that has the ballast up to the top of rail.
9. Clearing ballast from under the rails:
 It involves the removal of ballast from beneath the
rail.
 Primary objective is to set the two rails of the track to
the exact gauge, alignment, surface, cant, and cross
level.
 This is commonly called Poking.
10.Setting the track:
It involves setting both rails to the correct
orientation.
 This can be accomplished by using a support
system that holds each rail in correct alignment,
gauge, and cant.
Platform Dimensional
requirements:

Platform length:
It should be long enough:
to accommodate the longest train.
ensure that the driver has a clear view.
To accommodate inaccurate stopping
and operational requirement.
Platform width:
Minimum platform width:
2500mm speed < 165 km/h
3000mm speed >165 km/h
Platform Layouts
•Side Platform Station:
This design allows equal access for
passengers approaching from either
side of the station but it does require
the provision of two ticket offices and
therefore staffing for both of them.
•Island Platform Station:
This is a single platform serving two
tracks passing on either side, effectively
creating an island which can only be
accessed by crossing a track.
•Elevated Station with Side
Platforms:
They are considerably cheaper than
underground railways and can be
operated with reduced risk of safety and
evacuation problems.
•Elevated Station with Ticket
Hall Below Platforms:
The ticket office and gate lines are
below the platform level. This can
be done to allow one ticket office to
serve both platforms but it requires
the space to be available below
track level and this, in turn, requires
enough height in the structure.
Types of Railway Station
 According to purpose.
1. Flag Station
2. Way Station
3. Principal Station

 According to location.
1. Wayside Station or through station
2. Junction
3. Terminal Station
 According to Purpose
 Flag Station:
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop
describes a stopping point at which trains stop
only on and as-need or request basis that is,
only if there are passengers to be picked up or
dropped off.
 Way Station:

A small railway station between the principal

stations or a station where the train stops only
on a signal. This station contains platform and
booking office as well.
 Principal Station:

These are the main railway station located in

cities. They have all the facilities like
platforms, waiting rooms, booking office, ware
According to Location
Junction:
A junction, in the context of rail
transport, is a place at which
two or more rail routes
converge or diverge.
•Through Stations:

Trains can go through this station;

express trains don't stop, while local
trains do stop briefly before continuing
their journey.
Wayside station:

In this type of station an

arrangement is made to cross an
up and down train or for
overtaking the slower speed
trains by the faster trains. Over
bridges and subways may be
provided for movement of
passengers.
• Terminal Station:
Terminus stations are one-sided stations.
Trains both enter and exit from the same
side of the station. Referred to as
terminal because they are provided at the
end of a track or marks the end of a track.