Terminology of Rail
The distance between two tracks on a railway route is known as railway
gauge.
The supports for the rail tracks are known as sleepers, also called cross ties
in American English. Sleepers help transfer loads to the track ballast and
subgrade. They hold the rails upright and keep them spaced to the correct
gauge.
A rail fastening system consists of a group of railway fasteners that are used
to fasten steel rail to railway sleeper. The fish plate is used to join two
different rail tracks without welding, leaving some gaps at the joining of the
track so that it does not bend. Four bolts hold up the tracks together.
The ballast holds the track in place as the trains roll over it and absorb the
noise. It usually consists of crushed stone.
The track bed forms the track. The stones beneath the track bed form the
track ballast. The stones beneath the track ballast are the subgrade.
The main purposes of subgrade are to facilitate drainage of water and keep
down vegetation that might interfere with the tracks. It also provides a
stable bed upon which sleepers are laid, and helps keep the track in place
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The distance between two tracks on a railway route is known as railway
gauge.
The supports for the rail tracks are known as sleepers, also called cross ties
in American English. Sleepers help transfer loads to the track ballast and
subgrade. They hold the rails upright and keep them spaced to the correct
gauge.
A rail fastening system consists of a group of railway fasteners that are used
to fasten steel rail to railway sleeper. The fish plate is used to join two
different rail tracks without welding, leaving some gaps at the joining of the
track so that it does not bend. Four bolts hold up the tracks together.
The ballast holds the track in place as the trains roll over it and absorb the
noise. It usually consists of crushed stone.
The track bed forms the track. The stones beneath the track bed form the
track ballast. The stones beneath the track ballast are the subgrade.
The main purposes of subgrade are to facilitate drainage of water and keep
down vegetation that might interfere with the tracks. It also provides a
stable bed upon which sleepers are laid, and helps keep the track in place
• To take notes, just tap here and start typing.
• Or, easily create a digital notebook for all your notes that automatically
syncs across your devices, using the free OneNote app.
