Track

The following sections are included:

• The origin and development of railway track

• Basic components of track

• Track ballast

• Materials for track ballast

• Sleeper functions

• Timber sleepers

• Prestressed concrete sleepers (Monobloc)

• Twin block sleepers

• Steel sleepers

• Rail fastenings, baseplates and pads

• Rails

• Rail wear

• The desirability of removing rail joints

• Introduction of track welding

• Shop welding to produce long rails

• Site welding to produce CWR

• Stressing or ‘Locking-up’ of CWR

• Points, switches and crossings

• Crossing design and manufacture

• Points or turnouts

• Driving, locking and detection of points

• Conductor rails and components

• Paved concrete track

• Cast-in precast sleeper track

• Floating slab track

• Track installation and renewal

• Day-to-day maintenance of track

• Further Reading