Railway Operation & Control

Points & Crossing

Points & Crossings - Necessity

In order to prevent lateral movement of the railway trains the wheels of trains are provided with flanges on the inner side of rails. These flange cause obstructions when trains are to be diverted from one track to another Points & Crossings provide flexibility of movement by connecting one line to another according to requirements

Points & Crossings

Points and Crossings are peculiar arrangement used in permanent way (railway track) to guide the vehicle for directional change. Broadly point and crossing assembly consists of three main components namely Point, Lead and Crossing element

Points & Crossings - Elements

A point consists of one pair of tongue rails and Stock Rails with necessary fittings. Crossing is a device in the form of V-piece introduced in the track to permit movement of wheel flange at the inter section of two running lines. It has gap over which the wheel tread jumps. The track portion between point and crossing is called lead.

Points & Crossings - Constituents

1. Turnout- The term denotes points and crossing with the lead rails. 2. Tongue rail - It is tapered moveable rail, connected at its thickest end to running rail. 3. Stock rail It is the running rail, against which a tongue rail functions.

Points & Crossings - Constituents

4. Switch A pair of tongue with stock rail with necessary connections and fittings. 5. Points A pair of tongue rail with their stock rails are termed as points. 6. Crossing A crossing is a device introduced at the junction where two rails cross to permit the wheel flange of railway vehicle to pass from one track to another track

Points & Crossings - Constituents

7. Heel of switch It is an imaginary point on the gauge line midway between the end of lead rail and the tongue rail in case of loose heel switches. In case of fixed heel switches, it is a point Heel of switch. The end of a switch rail on the gauge line of tongue rail opposite the farthest from the point of switch centre of heel block.

Points & Crossings - Constituents

8. Lead The track portion between heels of switch to the beginning of crossing assembly is called lead.

Turnouts
The term denotes points and crossing with the lead rails. Turnout is the simplest combination of points and crossings which enables one track either a branch line or a siding, to take off from another track. The object of turnout is to provide facilities for safe movement of trains in either direction on both the tracks

Turnouts
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 siding branches off

Turnouts

Animated diagram of a right-hand railroad switch, rail track A divides into two: track B (the straight track) and track C (the diverging track

Turnouts

The operation of a railroad switch. In this animation, the red track is the one travelled during a facing-point movement. The switch mechanism, shown in black, may be operated remotely using an electric motor or hand-operated lever or from a nearby round frame

Turnouts Principal parts

Turnouts Components
1. Points 2. Crossings

Turnouts Components

Turnouts Components(Points)
Points 1. Tongue rail - It is tapered moveable rail, connected at its thickest end to running rail. 2. Stock rail It is the running rail, against which a tongue rail functions

Turnouts Components(Points)
3. Switch A pair of tongue with stock rail with necessary connections and fittings 4. Heel block (switch). A block which spans joints and fills the space between adjacent rails at the heel of a switch

Turnouts Components(Points)
5. Sliding Plate - The metal plate which are provided for supporting and sliding the tongue rails to obtain snug fit against the stock rail, are called sliding plates 6. Stretcher Bar - Two or three bars are used to connect the ends of the tongue rail at the toe to ensure the movement of both the tongue rails through the same distance are called stretcher bar

Turnouts Components(Points)
7. Point Rod - The rod which moves the points by operating a point lever is called point rod 8. Throw of Switch - The distance through which the tongue rails move laterally at the toe of the switch for the movement of trains In India, throw of switch = 9.5cm for B.G = 8.9cm for M.G & NG

Turnouts Components(Points)
9. Heel Clearance or Heel Divergence It is the distance between the running faces of the stock rail (i.e. gauge of stock rail) and gauge face of the tongue rail when measured at the heel of switch.
HC = Flange way clearance + tolerance for the wear +width of head rail In India,
For B.G, HC = 13.7cmto 13.3cm For M.G, HC = 12.1cmto 11.7cm For N.G, HC=9.8cm

Turnouts Components(Points)
10. Flangeway clearance This is the distance between the adjacent faces of the stock rail (or running rail) and the check rail(or guard rail). This is provided for the free movement of flanges and is termed as flangeway clearance.
In India, for 1 in 12 crossing, FC = 6.3cm for 1 in 8.5 crossing, FC = 6.6cm

Turnouts Components(Points)
11. Flare Gradual widening of the flangeway which is formed by bending the end of a check rail or wing rail away from gauge

Turnouts Components

Turnouts Components
Crossings The arrangements of rails which is provided to enable the flanges of wheels to cross the rails, of other track is called crossing

Turnouts Components
Crossings

Turnouts Components
Crossings

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
Crossings 1. Crossing lead rail The heels of the tongue rails are connected to the crossing with two rails one straight rail and other curved rail. These two rails are called crossing lead rails. 2. Point rail The rail V shaped portion of the crossing i.e frog, which ends at the nose of crossing

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
3. Splice rail - The rail of the V shaped portion of the crossing i.e. frog, which ends a little behind the nose of crossing is called splice rail. 4. Wing rail - The two bent up rails of the crossing which are connected to the ends of the crossing lead rails (one straight and one curved) are called wing rails.

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
5. Toe of crossing - The line joining the joints of the rails of the crossing assembly with the ends of the crossing lead rail, is called the toe of crossing. 6. Heel of crossing - The line which joins the end point rail and splice rail of the crossing, is called the heel of crossing

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
7. Throat - The narrowest space between the two wing rails of a crossing is called throat of the crossing. 8. Crossing angle The angle between the gauge faces of the point rail and splice rail, is called the crossing angle. The size of the crossing is designated by crossing angle.

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
9. Theoretical nose of crossing(T.N.C) The point of intersection of the gauge faces of the point rail and splice rail of a crossing , is called the theoretical nose of crossing . It is slightly away from the actual nose of the crossing 10. Actual nose of crossing (A.N.C) - The ends of the point rail in the gap of the crossing is called actual nose of the crossing.

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
11. Number of Crossing and Angle of Crossing Acute angel crossings are designated either by the angel that gauge faces make with each other (i.e., angle of crossing) or generally by the number which is represented by N N = the spread at the leg of crossing/the length of crossing at TNC

Turnouts Components(Crossings)
The use of various crossings on Indian Railways is as listed below: I. 1 in 6 crossing - This is generally used in symmetrical splits. II. 1 in 81/2 crossing- This is used in station yards where space is restricted and speed is low i.e. on sharp turnouts III. 1 in 12 crossing - This is used at very high speed turnouts on B.G and M.G only

Number of crossings
There are three methods of calculating the number of crossings, and N depends on the method adopted. 1. Right Angle or Coles method
From the figure, tan = 1/N cot = N

i.e., N= cot
ab - point rail ac - splice rail bc - spread at the leg of crossing = unity i.e.,1

Number of crossings
2. Centre Line Method
tan /2 = ()/N = 1/(2N) i.e., cot /2 = 2N N = 1/2cot /2

Number of crossings
3. Isoceles Triangle Method
Measurement of N is taken from one side of the isosceles triangle

sin /2 = ()/N = 1/(2N) cosec /2 = 2N

N = cosec /2

This method is important in the layout of tramways

Crossing - Types
1. Based on shape of crossing i. Acute angle crossing or V crossing or Frog ii.Obtuse angle crossing or diamond crossing iii.Square crossing

Crossing - Types
2. Based on assembly of crossing i. Spring or movable wing crossing ii. Ramped crossing

Crossing - Types Based on shape of crossing

Acute angle crossing: this type is obtained when right hand rail of a track crosses a left hand rail of another converging track or vice versa

Square crossing: Two tracks of the same or different gauges cross one another at right angles,

Obtuse angle crossing or Diamond crossing: The crossing in which the rails crossed are either right handed or left handed for both the tracks. Long wing rails donot carry the wheel rather act as check rail.

Turnouts Types

Turnout - Working

Turnout - Working
A turnout provides facilities for safe turning of vehicles from one track to another. One turnout provides facilities for turning of vehicle from one direction only and not from both directions of straight path or route as in case of roads.

Turnout - Working
A turnout works with the combination of points and crossing This consists mainly of i. A pair of points or switches (ABCD and EPFQ) ii. Four lead rails iii.Two check rails iv.Crossing(GHIJ)

Turnout - Working
A pair switches, each of which consists of a tongue rail and stock rail A tongue rail is tapered having toe at one end and heel at the other end This is fixed to the heel to regular alignment and can be moved about this point so that in one position (i.e., F) it leaves a gap with alignment and permits the train to go along the straight alignment and in other position (i.e., L) the toe fits closely against the straight alignment and track can thus be diverted to some other track.

Turnout Working

Turnout - Working
The position of the straight alignment against which the tongue rail fits is known as the stock rail (i.e., AB). Two such switches are fixed to either rail, the tongue rails move together so that the route can be set for one line(i.e., mainline) or the other(i.e., branch line)

Turnout - Working
A crossing (one piece) GHIJ is connected with the ordinary rails (known as lead rail ) so as to permit the two rails to cross each other. Check rails are provided on the opposite sides of crossings for guiding one wheel of the vehicle and thus to check the tendency of the other wheel to climb over the crossing. GO is known as the point rail while IO is known as splice rail. The point where these rail meet is known as Nose of Crossing. Wing rails further helps in channelizing the wheels in their proper routes.

Turnout - Design
For the designing a turnout its total length may be divided as under: 1. Switch lead (SL): The distance from the springing of the turnout i.e., toe of tongue, to heel of the switch, measured along the straight stock rail 2.Crossing Lead: The distance from the heel of the switch to the theoretical nose of crossing (T.N.C) measured along the straight stock rail 3. Curve Lead: The distance from the toe of the tongue to the theoretical nose of crossing (T.N.C) measured along the straight stock rail

Turnout - Design
4. Overall Length of Turnout: The distance between the end of stock rail just ahead of the toe of the tongue and the heel of crossing Curve Lead = Switch Lead + Crossing Lead

Turnout - Design
Notations used in Design calculation = angle of switch = angle of crossing d = heel divergence R0 = radius of outer curve of turnout R = Radius of centre line of turnout G = gauge of track N = Number of crossings D = Distance between T.N.C and tangent point of crossing curve.

Turnout Design Method I

Assumption:
The curve is assumed to start at a point slightly ahead of the toe of switch on the straight main track and ends at the theoretical nose of crossing(T.N.C)
1. Crossing Lead(C.L) = G cot/2 or 2GN, 2. Radius of turnout (R0) = CL/sin or = 1.5G +2GN2 3. Switch Lead(S.L)= (2 R0*d) 4. Crossing Lead or Lead = CL SL 5. Heel divergence (d) = (S.L)2/2R0

Turnout Design Method I

Salient points in the design by Method I
1. All the three leads (CL, SL & L) are calculated. The CL & SL are peculiar for this method. 2. Crossing angle is calculated by right angle method

Turnout Design Method I

3. In this method of design, a crossing curve is considered to start from an imaginary point ahead of actual toe of the switch and end at T.N.C. This arrangement results in the formation of 3 kinks a kink at toe of switch. This is because the tongue rail is straight A kink at heel of switch. This is because the tongue rail is not tangential to the curve. A kink at the toe of crossing. This is because the curve is carried theoretically upto TNC but the crossing is actually straight.

Turnout Design Method II(I RS)

Assumption: The curve is
assumed to be tangential to the tongue rail at its heel and ends at the toe of crossing 1. Lead L = (G-d)*cot[(+)/2] 2. R0 = (G-d)/(cos - cos ) 3. R = R0 G/2

Turnout Design Method II(I RS)

Salient points in the design by Method II
1. Out of three types of kinks, a kink which is formed at the heel of switch is removed

Turnout Design Method III(I RS)

Assumption: Very similar to method II.
But in this case, the straight length at the crossing is provided 1. Lead L = xcos+(G-d-xsin)cot}(+)/2} 2. R0 =( G-d-xsin )/(cos -cos )

Turnout Design Method III(I RS)

Salient points in the design by Method III
1. There is only one kink at the toe of the switch. The other two kinks are eliminated because the crossing lead is tangential to both at the heel of switch and the toe of crossing. 2. Long and built up tongue rails and the crossing may be suitably adopted by this method. 3. This is more suitable for straight tongue rails. 4. Widely used in India and also U.S.A and U.K