Chapter 1.

History and General Features of Indian Railways

1. Give the complete classification of a railway line as adopted by Indian Railways.

Chapter 2. Railway Track Gauge

1. Why is it desirable to have, as far as possible, a uniform gauge for the railway network of a country? 2. What is the standard gauge in Indian Railways? State the disadvantages of having a multiple gauge system. 3. List out the various gauges prevailing in India with their gauge widths. What factors govern the selection of a suitable gauge? Discuss. 4. What is the uni-gauge policy of Indian railways? Describe the benefits of the unigauge system. 5. How many gauges exist in Indian Railways? Give their widths and their route kilometres.

Chapter 3. Alignment of Railway Lines

1. Describe in brief the basic requirements of a good alignment. What are the factors that control the alignment of a railway line?

Chapter 5. Track and Track Stresses

1. What do you understand by a railway track or a permanent way? Mention the requirements of an ideal permanent way. 2. What are the component parts of a permanent way? 3. Draw a typical cross section of a BG double track in embankment and show therein all the components of the track. 4. Draw a typical cross section of a permanent way. Explain briefly the functions of the various components of the railway track. 5. Discuss the necessity and effects of the coning of wheels.

Chapter 6. Rails
1. What are the functions of rails? Name the various types of rails in use. Which one is widely used now? How the weight of a rail section is usually determined? 2. It is observed that at present tracks, are mostly laid with flat-footed rails. Give reasons for this preference in relation to other types of rail sections.

Chapter 7. Sleepers
1. What are the requirements of sleepers used in a railway track? Give a neat sketch of a typical BG mono-block prestressed sleeper. What are its advantages and drawbacks? 2. List the various types of sleepers used on Indian railways. Which one would you consider to be the best for modern tracks and why?

3. Discuss the factors on which the 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). 4. Compare the characteristics of the different types of sleepers used in our country. What are the different types of sleepers used in the track on Indian Railways? Write down in brief the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Chapter 8. Ballast
1. Mention the properties required of good ballast for a railway track. 2. What are the functions of the ballast in a railway track?

Chapter 10. Rack Fittings and Fastenings

1. Illustrate with sketches the various fastening used to fasten rails to sleepers. Discuss their merits and demerits. 2. Explain briefly the functions of a fish plate in a railway track.

Chapter 14. Points and Crossings

1. Draw a neat sketch of a right-hand turnout taking off from a straight broad gauge track and name thereon the various component parts and important terms connected with the layout. 2. Explain with the help of neat sketches the points and crossings used in railways, indicating the precautions to be taken while laying the same.

Chapter 31. Signalling and Interlocking

1. What essential purposes are served by signalling and interlocking? What is meant by route relay interlocking? 2. Explain what you understand by interlocking in a railway system. 3. Mention the objectives of signalling. How are signals classified? Mention the functions of each signal.

Reference: Satish Chandra and M. M. Agarwal (2007). Railway Engineering, Oxford University Press.