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A railroad switch is a mechanical installation enabling trains to be guided from one set of rail tracks (or tramway tracks) to another. In the UK and Commonwealth countries, railroad switches are known as (sets of) points. In technical usage a switch may be called a turnout. This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ...
Rail tracks. ...
Light rail tracks with concrete railroad ties. ...
The English noun Commonwealth dates originally from the fifteenth century. ...
 A diagram of a right-hand railroad switch. In the illustration on the right, rail track A divides into two tracks: B (the straight track) and C (the diverging track). Each switch contains a pair of linked tapering rails known as points (point blades). These can be moved laterally into one of two positions, determining whether a train coming from A will be led towards B or C. This is known as a facing-point movement. Image File history File links Railroad_switch_labelled. ...
Image File history File links Railroad_switch_labelled. ...
A typical North American steam train In rail transport, a train consists of rail vehicles that move along guides to transport freight or passengers from one place to another. ...
A train coming from B or C will be led to A regardless of the position of the points, as the vehicle's wheel will force the points to the proper position. Passage in this direction through a switch is known as a trailing-point movement.
A switch can be described by the direction in which the diverging track leaves the straight track. A right-hand switch has track C to the right of a straight track formed by A and B. A left-hand switch has track C is to the left.
A switch can also be symmetrical, or have the two tracks curved at different radii in the same or different directions. In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its boundary. ...
Operation
 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 lever or from a nearby ground frame. A railroad car's wheels are guided along the tracks by coning of the wheels. Only in extreme cases does it rely on the flanges located on the insides of the wheels. When the wheels reach the switch, the wheels are guided along the route determined by which of the two points is connected to the track facing the switch. In the illustration, if the left point is connected, the left wheel will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will diverge to the right. If the right point is connected, the right wheel's flange will be guided along the rail of that point, and the train will continue along the straight track. Only one of the points may be connected to the facing track at any time; the two points are mechanically locked together to ensure that this is always the case. Image File history File links Railroad_switch_animation. ...
Image File history File links Railroad_switch_animation. ...
Animation is the filming a sequence of drawings or positions of models to create an illusion of movement. ...
Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils. ...
A Ground frame is a rudimentary form of local control of railway points and/or signals. ...
A railroad car (or, more briefly, car, not to be confused with railcar), also known as an item of rolling stock, is a vehicle on a railroad (or railway) that is not a locomotive — one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ...
This article needs to be wikified. ...
Look up flange in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A mechanism is provided to move the points from one position to the other (change the points). Historically, this would require a lever to be moved by a human operator, and some switches are still controlled in this way. However, most are now operated by a remotely controlled electric motor or pneumatic motor. Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils. ...
Table of Pneumaticks, 1728 Cyclopaedia Pneumatics, from the Greek πνευματικός (pneumatikos, coming from the wind) is the use of pressurized gases to do work in science and technology. ...
In a trailing-point movement, the wheels will force the points to the proper position. This is sometimes known as running through the switch. If the points are rigidly connected to the switch control mechanism, the control mechanism's linkages may be bent, requiring repair before the switch is again usable. For this reason, switches are normally set to the proper position before performing a trailing-point movement. [1].
An example of mechanism that would require repair after a run-through in the trailing direction is a clamp-lock. This mechanism is popular in the UK, but the damage caused is common to most types of switches. However, some switches are designed to be forced to the proper position without damage. Examples include variable switches, spring switches, and weighted switches.
 Gas heating keeps a switch free from snow and ice. In cold conditions, snow and ice can prevent the correct operation of switches. In the past, people were employed by railway companies to keep the switches clear by sweeping the snow away. Some were provided with gas torches for melting ice. More recently, switches have had heaters installed in the vicinity of the points so that the temperature of the rails in these areas can be kept above freezing. The heaters may be powered by gas or electricity. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1984x1488, 1405 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Railroad switch Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1984x1488, 1405 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Railroad switch Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to...
The switch points of tram lines are often operated remotely by the driver. Monorail systems have special switches, which are detailed in the switching section of that article.
A CLRV Streetcar in the City of Toronto. ...
Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, or car. ...
The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail Gyroscopically Balanced Monorail (1907) by Brennan and Scherl The term monorail or industrial monorail is also used to describe any number of systems in which a chair or carrier is suspended from, or rides on, an overhead rail structure...
The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail Gyroscopically Balanced Monorail (1907) by Brennan and Scherl The term monorail or industrial monorail is also used to describe any number of systems in which a chair or carrier is suspended from, or rides on, an overhead rail structure...
Classification The divergence and length of a switch is determined by the angle of the frog (the point in the switch where two rails cross, see below) and the curvature of the switch blades. The length and placement of the other components are determined from this using established formulas and standards. This divergence is measured as the number of units of length for a single unit of separation.
In the US this is generally referred to as a switch's "number". For example, on a "number 12" switch, the rails are a distance of one foot (1'-0") apart at distance of twelve feet (12'-0") from the center of the frog. In the UK points and crossings using chaired bullhead rail would be referred to using a letter and number combination. The letter would define the length (and hence the radius) of the switch blades and the number would define the angle of the crossing (frog). Thus an A7 turnout would be very short and likely only to be found in dockyards etc. whereas a E12 would be found as a fairly high speed turnout on a mainline.
Safety The correct setting of points is fundamental to the safe running of a railway. For example, an incorrectly set switch may result in two trains being on the same track, causing a collision.
Perhaps the greatest security challenge in railway operation is preventing the tampering of manually-operable switches. Similar (non-fatal) wrecks near Newport News, Virginia on August 12, 1992 and in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia on April 12, 2001 resulted from switches being thrown open in front of the trains by teenaged saboteurs. Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia from space, July 1996 (Newport News is seen in the lower left quadrant) Newport News is an independent city located in Virginia. ...
August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...
Stewiacke pronounced (Stoo-yahk) is a town in Nova Scotia, Canada, 45 minutes from Halifax. ...
April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ...
This article is about the year 2001. ...
This article is about Sabotage sabotage can also refer to: an early Black Sabbath album (Sabotage), the Alfred Hitchcock films (Sabotage or Saboteur), a Beastie Boys song, or a type of shock site. ...
The Potters Bar rail crash at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom occurred in May 2002, when a switch sprang to a different position as a coach crossed it. The front wheels of a coach progressed along the straight track as intended, but the rear wheels slewed along the diverging track. This caused the whole coach to detach from the train and slew sideways across the platform ahead. Fortunately, the movement of the switch occurred beneath the final coach, so that although 7 people were killed, the front coaches remained on the tracks. Poor maintenance of the points was found to be the primary cause of the crash. The Potters Bar rail crash occurred on May 10, 2002 at Potters Bar, in Hertfordshire just north of Greater London, when a northbound train derailed at high speed, killing seven and seriously injuring another eleven. ...
Darkes Lane, Potters Bar. ...
Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ...
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. ...
History On early lines, vehicles were moved between tracks by means of sliding rails. The switch as we know it was patented by Charles Fox in 1832. Charles Fox was a civil engineer in Derby in the nineteenth century. ...
Prior to the widespread availability of electricity, switches at heavily-traveled junctions were operated from a switch tower (signal box) constructed near the tracks through an elaborate system of rods and levers. The levers were also used to control semaphore railway signals to control the movement of trains over the points. Eventually, mechanical systems known as interlockings were introduced to make sure that a signal could only be set to allow a train to proceed over points when it was safe to do so. On some low-traffic branch lines, in self-contained marshalling yards, or on heritage railways, switches may still be operated in this way. Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ...
A junction may variously refer to: In road transport, a road junction. ...
The tower and tracks at Deval interlocking, Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1993 An interlocking tower is an often towerlike structure or building housing the levers for working railroad switches and trackside signals. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
The principle of the lever tells us that the above is in static equilibrium, with all forces balancing, if F1D1 = F2D2. ...
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether they must stop or may start, or instructions on what speed they may drive their train. ...
Interlocking in railway terminology (US) is a term used to describe an at-grade crossing or other junction of two or more railroads, or any railroad switching complex in which the switches and the signals controlling train movement over those switches is interlocked so that it is impossible to give...
A classification yard or marshalling yard (including hump yards) is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. ...
A scene on a heritage railway. ...
Components
Points (point blades) The points (point blades) are the movable rails which guide the wheels towards the straight or diverging track. They are tapered on most switches, but on stub switches they have square ends.
In the UK and Commonwealth countries, the term points refers to the entire mechanism, whereas in North America the term refers only to the movable rails.
Frog The frog refers to the crossing point of two rails. This can be assembled out of several appropriately cut and bent pieces of rail or can be a single casting. A frog forms part of a railroad switch, and is also used in a level junction. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
In U.S. railroad practice, a level junction (or in the United Kingdom a flat junction) is a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other that require trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic at...
On lines with heavy and/or high-speed traffic, a movable point frog is often used. As the name implies, there is a second set of points located at the frog. This effectively eliminates the gap in the rail that normally occurs at the frog, so long as trains are moving in the direction that the switch is aligned to. Two switch machines are required to make a movable point frog switch work. Double Line Drawing - Dual Gauge Diamond Crossing A fixed (non-movable) one-piece cast frog rusty line crosses shiny line A swingnose crossing is a device used at a railway turnout to eliminate the gap at a V-crossing aka frog. ...
The term frog gives its name to the frog war, a conflict that occurs when a railroad company attempts to cross the tracks of another. A frog war occurs when a railroad company attempts to cross the tracks of another, and this results in hostilities, with the courts usually getting involved. ...
Guard rail (check rail) A guard rail (check rail) is a short piece of rail placed alongside the main (stock) rail opposite the frog. These exist to ensure that the wheels follow the appropriate flangeway through the frog and that the train does not derail. Generally, there are two of these for each frog, one by each outer rail. Guard rails on the outer rails are not needed with the one-piece cast frog as they are part of the casting.
Switch motor A switch motor is an electric or pneumatic mechanism that aligns the points with one of the diverging routes. Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ...
Pneumatics, from the Greek πνευματικός (pneumatikos, coming from the wind) is the use of pressurized air in science and technology. ...
Points lever A points lever, ground throw, or switchstand is a lever and accompanying linkages that are used to align the points of a switch manually. This lever and its accompanying hardware is usually mounted to a pair of long sleepers that extend from the switch at the points. They are often used in a place of a switch motor on infrequently used switches. In some places, infrequently used points may be operated from a ground frame. The principle of the lever tells us that the above is in static equilibrium, with all forces balancing, if F1D1 = F2D2. ...
Ferroconcrete sleepers A variant fastening of rails to wooden sleepers A railroad tie, cross tie, or sleeper is a rectangular object used as a base for railroad tracks. ...
A Ground frame is a rudimentary form of local control of railway points and/or signals. ...
Components Gallery This detail of a switch shows the tapered moveable rails known as the points. Image File history File links Point_blades. ...
| A one-piece cast frog. The shiny line crosses the rusty line. Download high resolution version (600x799, 457 KB)One piece cast rail frog Photo by Meggar File links The following pages link to this file: Railroad switch Categories: GFDL images ...
| The frog (left) and guard rail (right) can be seen in this detail of a switch. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1053x585, 172 KB) Herzstück und Radlenker einer Eisenbahnweiche * Im August 2004 selbst (de:Benutzer:LosHawlos) fotografiert * GFDL from http://de. ...
| Several different styles of switch stand on display Download high resolution version (1024x768, 464 KB)A selection of switch stands on display at the Mid Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin. ...
| The mechanism used at a switch. The two points are locked together with a bar between them. This bar continues to the lever on the near side of the tracks which is used to change the points. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (845x585, 540 KB) Railroad switch. ...
| A moveable point frog. The point of the V-shaped rail is moved to align the rail in the appropriate direction where the two rails cross. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x786, 829 KB) en Railroad switch: the inside part is movable to allow higher speeds de de:Eisenbahnweiche mit beweglichem Herzstück in de:Bonn Hauptbahnhof photo by User:Qualle, 10 Feb 2005 File links The following pages on the English...
| The switch motor (in this case an electric motor) and associated mechanism used to operate this switch can be seen to the right of the picture. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 818 KB) A closeup of the converging points immediately north of w:Filton Abbey Wood railway station. ...
Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils. ...
| A groundframe (at Bristol Temple Meads station, UK) contains a few levers for manually operating nearby points. Image File history File links Groundframe. ...
The original station (left) closed in 1965. ...
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Types of switches
 A double switch, or double slip. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 1758 KB) © Björn Laczay aka dustpuppy http://www. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 1758 KB) © Björn Laczay aka dustpuppy http://www. ...
Double slip A double slip switch (double slip) is a narrow-angled diagonal flat crossing of two lines combined with four pairs of points in such a way as to allow vehicles to change from one straight track to the other, as well as going straight across. A train approaching the arrangement may leave by either of the two tracks on the opposite side of the crossing. To reach the third possible exit, the train must change tracks on the slip and then reverse.
The arrangement gives the possibility of setting four routes, but the four blades at each end of the crossing are often connected to move in unison, so the crossing can be worked by just two levers or point motors.
In North America, the arrangement may also be called a double switch, or more colloquially, a puzzle switch. The Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom used the term double compound points, and the switch is also known as a double compound in Victoria (Australia). The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...
Emblems: Pink heath (floral)Weedy Seadragon (Aquatic) helmeted honeyeater (bird) Leadbeaters possum (faunal) Motto: Peace and Prosperity Slogan or Nickname: Garden State, The Place To Be, On The Move Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Government Const. ...
Single slip
 Outside slip in Heidelberg main station A single slip switch works on the same principle as a double slip but provides for only one switching possibility. Trains approaching on one of the two crossing tracks can either continue over the crossing, or switch tracks to the other line. However, trains from the other track can only continue over the crossing, and cannot switch tracks. This is normally used to allow access to sidings and improve safety by avoiding having switch blades facing the usual direction of traffic. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1038x1226, 393 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Railroad switch ...
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1038x1226, 393 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Railroad switch ...
Outside slip An outside slip switch is similar to both the double and single slips, but the switch blades are not contained wholly within the diamond.
Crossover
 A scissors crossover: two pairs of switches linking two tracks to each other in both directions. A crossover is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks, allowing a train on one track to cross over to the other. Like the switches themselves, crossovers can be described as either facing or trailing. double railroad switch From Dutch Wikipedia: spoorwissel This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
double railroad switch From Dutch Wikipedia: spoorwissel This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
Railroad or railway tracks are used on railways, which, together with railroad switches (points), guide trains without the need for steering. ...
When two crossovers are present in opposite directions, one after the other, the four-switch configuration is called a double crossover. If the crossovers overlap in the shape of the letter X, it is dubbed a 'scissors crossover or diamond crossover in reference to the diamond crossing in the center. This makes for a very compact track layout at the expense of using a level junction. In U.S. railroad practice, a level junction (or in the United Kingdom a flat junction) is a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other that require trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic at...
In U.S. railroad practice, a level junction (or in the United Kingdom a flat junction) is a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other that require trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic at...
In a setup where each of the two tracks normally carries trains of only one direction, a crossover can be used either to detour "wrong-rail" around an obstruction or to reverse direction. A crossover can also join two tracks of the same direction, possibly a pair of local and express tracks, and allow trains to switch from one to the other.
On a crowded system, routine use of crossovers (or switches in general) will reduce throughput, as the switches must be changed for each train. For this reason, on some high-capacity rapid transit systems, crossovers between local and express tracks are not used during normal rush hour service, and service patterns are planned around use of the usually flying junctions at each end of the local-express line. A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway — usually in an urban area — with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ...
Rush hour at Tokyo Station, Yamanote Line A rush hour is a part of the day with busy traffic and hence traffic congestion on the roads and crowded public transport; normally the two periods in a day when people are travelling to or from work or school. ...
In U.S. railroad practice, a flying junction is a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other without requiring trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic. ...
Stub switch A stub switch lacks the tapered points (point blades) of a typical switch. Instead, both the movable rails and the ends of the rails of the diverging routes have their ends cut off square. The switch mechanism aligns the movable rails with the rails of one of the diverging routes.
The rails leading up to a stub switch are not secured to the sleepers for several feet, and rail alignment across the gap is not positively enforced. Stub switches also require some flexibility in the rails, or an extra joint at which they hinge. Therefore these switches cannot be traversed at high speed or by heavy traffic and so are not suitable for main line use. A further disadvantage is that a stub switch being approached from the diverging route that is not connected by the points would result in a derailment. Ferroconcrete sleepers A variant fastening of rails to wooden sleepers A railroad tie, cross tie, or sleeper is a rectangular object used as a base for railroad tracks. ...
For other uses of the term, see: flexibility (disambiguation). ...
Stub switches were more common in the very early days of railways and their tramway predecessors. Now, because of their disadvantages, stub switches are used primarily on narrow gauge lines and branch lines. Some modern monorail switches use the same principle. Narrow-gauge railways are railroads (railways) with track spaced at less than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8 in (1. ...
A branch line is a relatively minor railway line which branches off a more important through route. ...
Three-way switch A three-way switch is used to split a railroad track into three divergent paths rather than the more usual two. The complexity of such arrangements usually results in severe speed restrictions, and therefore three-way switches are usually only used in a station or depot where space is restricted and low speeds are normal. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (906x648, 232 KB) description: 3 way set of points (or switches) formerly at the Light Street tram depot in Newstead Brisbane, the points are now located at the Brisbane Tramway Museum. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (906x648, 232 KB) description: 3 way set of points (or switches) formerly at the Light Street tram depot in Newstead Brisbane, the points are now located at the Brisbane Tramway Museum. ...
Brisbane (pronounced ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia, with a population of just under 2. ...
Brisbane Tramway Museum is a transport museum which preserves and displays trams and trolley-buses, most of which operated in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. ...
Stub switches can more readily select between three routes, so most three-way switches are stub switches, although some were built using points. It was extremely difficult to hold the two rails the correct distance apart for the length of the switch with these types of switch.
A three-way switch from a Brisbane tram depot is shown on the right. This example has two points (point blades) on each track, allowing for three diverging routes. The points can both be set to one side, resulting in a vehicle turning off the straight track. Alternatively, the two blades can be separated if the vehicle must continue along the straight track.
A picture of a three-way stub switch can be seen here.
Interlaced turnout While a three-way turnout splits a road into three divergent paths, one variant on this arrangement involves placing two standard turnouts in an "interlaced" fashion (i.e., the switch rails of the second turnout are positioned between the switch rails and the common-crossing/frog of the first turnout. In common with other forms of three way turnouts an additional common-crossing is required. Due to the inherent complexity, turnout configurations such as this are normally used only in locations where space is exceptionally tight, such as station throats or industrial areas within large cities. See an example here.
Wye Switch Often installed where space is at a premium, wye switches have trailing ends that are symmetrical and diverge in opposite directions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (655x624, 97 KB) Summary A wye-shaped railroad switch located in Orange, California. ...
| A manually-operated wye switch with joints (lower right corner shows the joint construction). Joints are not required for the electrically operated switches, as they have enough power just to bend the rail. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3260x1880, 1586 KB) The railroad switch with joints, designed for manual operation. ...
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Derailer A derailer can consist of a single switch point installed in a track which can be pulled away from the rail to derail any stray railroad cars which would otherwise roll onto and obstruct a main line (sometimes called "fouling") and cause a more serious accident. They are often installed on branch lines and sidings near where they connect to the main line in locations where grade or even high winds can cause an unattended car to begin rolling towards the main line.
A Derail or Derailer is a device used to prevent fouling of a track by unauthorized movements of trains or unattended rolling stock. ...
A railroad car (or, more briefly, car, not to be confused with railcar), also known as an item of rolling stock, is a vehicle on a railroad (or railway) that is not a locomotive — one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ...
A grade (or gradient) is the pitch of a slope, and is often expressed as a percent tangent, or rise over run. It is used to express the steepness of slope on a hill, roof, or road, where zero indicates level (with respect to gravity) and increasing numbers correlate to...
Wind is the roughly horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ...
Run-off points Run-off points serve the same function as derailers, but are made of one or two blades of a turnout. Depending on the situation in which they are used, run-off points are referred to either as 'trap points' or 'catch points'. Trap points are provided at the exit from a siding or where a goods line joins a line that may be used by passenger trains. Catch points (now obsolescent) were installed on the running line itself, where the railway climbs at a steep gradient. These points are a throwback to the days of the 'unfitted' goods train, their purpose being to derail the rear portion of a train that had become divided, so as to prevent collision with a following train. Catch points were usually held in the 'derail' position by a spring.
High-speed turnouts Only the plainer kinds of turnouts come in high speed versions. High speed turnouts are much longer with a finer crossing angle.
An AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association) design number 20 turnout has a diverging speed limit of 45 miles per hour [1]. Higher speeds are possible without lengthening the turnout by using uniformly curved rail and a very low entry angle.
The conventional way to increase turnout speeds is to lengthen the turnout and use a shallower frog angle. If, however, the angle would be so shallow that a fixed frog could not support a train's wheels, a swing-nose crossing will be used. Double Line Drawing - Dual Gauge Diamond Crossing A fixed (non-movable) one-piece cast frog rusty line crosses shiny line A swingnose crossing is a device used at a railway turnout to eliminate the gap at a V-crossing aka frog. ...
Double slips are restricted to low-speed operation.
 A dual gauge switch in Japan. Image File history File links DualgaugeHakonetozanJP14. ...
Image File history File links DualgaugeHakonetozanJP14. ...
Dual gauge switches These are used with dual gauge track. In some cases, one gauge can go both directions but the other can only go one way. Sunlight reflects off dual-gauge tracks near Chur, Switzerland Mixed-gauge track and pointwork (1435 mm and 1067 mm) at Odawara in Japan Dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway is a special configuration of railway track, allowing trains of different gauges to use the same alignment. ...
Switched Diamond Although not strictly speaking a turnout, a switched diamond is an active trackwork assembly used where the crossing angle between two tracks is too shallow for totally-passive trackwork. These vaguely resemble two standard points assembled very closely toe-to-toe. These would also often utilise swing-nose crossings at the outer ends to ensure complete wheel support in the same way as provided on very high speed i.e., shallow angle turnouts.
Video of a track moving Image File history File links Railroad_Switch. ...
Ferry Pier is the southern terminus of Light Rail. ...
Tuen Mun (屯門) is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. ...
References - ^ Rules 8.9, 8.15, and 8.18, General Code of Operating Rules, Fifth Edition. (c) 2005 General Code of Operating Rules Committee.
See also Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. ...
Expedition Everest Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is an elaborately themed roller coaster at Disneys Animal Kingdom theme park on the Walt Disney World Resort property in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. ...
A typical roller coaster The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. ...
A double junction is a railway track configuration where a double track railway splits into two double track lines. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Railroad switch. ...
Centralized traffic control (CTC) is a signalling system used by railroads around the world. ...
It has been suggested that safeworking be merged into this article or section. ...
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