POINTS, CROSSINGS AND

TURNOUTS
BITS Pilani Prof. V Vinayaka Ram
Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
Introduction

Purpose of Points and Crossings:

Diverting trains from one track to other tracks is
done by Points and Crossings

Turnout
It is the simplest combination of Points and
Crossings which enables one track, either a
branch line or siding, to take off from another
track.

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Left hand Turnout (Split Switch)
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RIGHT HAND TURNOUT

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LEFT HAND TURNOUT

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TURNOUT FROM CURVED MAIN TRACK

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Rails, junctions and crossing in Amsterdam railway station
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
A view of the tracks at Rawalpindi railway station. This complicated mesh of metal
and wooden sleepers features a frog, or common crossing, at the point the two
rails meet. Also visible are guard rails, which are extra rails that prevent a bogey
from de-railing while switching from one track to the next
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POINTS OR SWITCHES

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 POINTS OR SWITCHES

Switch: Stock Rail + Tongue Rail

Switches: Tapered rails with the thicker end (Heel)

fixed to the main track and the thinner end (Toe)
movable by means of which flanged wheels of the
train are diverted from one route to the other

Parts: A pair of stock rails, a pair of tongue rails, heel

or distance block. Stretcher block, Switch tie plate or
gauge tie plate, slide chairs or sliding plates, Studs or
stops

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 POINTS OR SWITCHES

Stock Rails:
• Main rails of the track
Tongue Rails:
• Lie between two stock rails
• Supported on sliding plates, connected by stretcher
bar near the toe of the switch so that both tongue
rails move together by the same distance together.
• This gap is called throw of the switch
• High Carbon or Manganese steel is used
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 POINTS OR SWITCHES

Heel Blocks or Distance Blocks:

• Inserted between the heal of tongue rail and stock
rail to provide clear gap for the wheel flange
Stretcher Bar:
• Toes of both tongue rails are connected by this bar
• Two or three stretcher bars are used
• Length will be adequate to create the throw of the
switch needed

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 POINTS OR SWITCHES

Switch Tie Plate or Gauge Tie Plate:

• Below the slide chairs at the toe
• They don’t allow the gauge to be changed
Sliding Plate:
• Under stock and tongue rails
Studs or Stops:
• Between stock rails and tongue rails
• To prevent lateral bending of tongue rail and
maintain the alignment when the wheels roll over
the points
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POINTS OR SWITCHES

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THROW OF A SWITCH

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POINTS OR SWITCHES

An Introduction to Switches & Crossings -

Network Rail engineering education
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuR5QTlfOzk

Future Transportation Technology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYOmZlTjsQ0

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 Videos of Interest

An Introduction to Switches & Crossings - Network Rail engineering education

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuR5QTlfOzk
Controlling Trains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4q3i5aw6XQ&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=3
Introduction to Level Crossings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7hyIkqyp9k&index=4&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe
Running Projects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b45AP4lZ58g&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=5
Using Computers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RolDVLNs2jQ&index=6&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe
The New Measurement Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhVdTXh5XoA&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=7
The Level Crossings Challenge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgjYFtsCDO8&index=8&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNeTjsQ0

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

 Videos of Interest

The Institute of Making

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnQVWEWxx0&index=9&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe
An Introduction to Rail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htraayYmKjI&index=10&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe
An Introduction to Switches & Crossings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuR5QTlfOzk&index=11&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe
Making Switches & Crossings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsCoJJLhS68&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=12
In The Materials Lab, Destructive Testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c366-CFb_LE&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=13
In The Materials Lab, Non-Destructive Testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fsmYyhzEmM&list=PLm9U4wEe03oE3MgEedxNZBon6tz14YNNe&index=14
how trains change tracks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_wOPY5Pu-A
Future Transportation Technology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYOmZlTjsQ0

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Track Junctions

Combinations of Points and Crossings meant

for transferring vehicles from one track to
other track or enable them to crossover from
one track to another track

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Track Junction Types

• Turnouts
• Symmetrical Split (Equivalent Turnout)
• Three Throw Switch (Contrary and Similar Flexures)
• Double Turnout or Tandem
• Diamond Crossing
• Cross Overs (Between parallel and diverging tracks)
• Single Slip and Double Slip
• Gauntlet Track and Fixed Point System
• Scissor Crossover
• Gathering Lines or Ladder Tracks
• Triangle
• Double Junctions

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Track Junction Types -
Turnouts

Symmetrical Turnout

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Three Throw Switch
(Contrary Flexure)

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Three Throw Switch
(Similar Flexure)

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Double Turnout
(Modification of three throw switch)

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Diamond Crossing

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Largest Railway Crossing in the
World – Central Station - Newcastle

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Cross Overs

Scissor Crossover Double Crossover

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 Single and Double Slips

Slip switches. The single-slip switch (top) joins two turnouts on a relatively short distance of
track and can act like a crossing. The double-slip switch (bottom) combines two turnouts in a
short track segment and can also act as a crossing. Slip switches are usually found in terminals.
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 Gauntlet Track and Fixed Point
System

Triple gauntlet track in Germany. Wider mainline trains go down the centre; narrower trams
switch either to the left, or right, to be closer to the relevant platform. Beyond the station, the
rails return to single track.
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Scissor Crossover

http://www.dccwiki.com/File:ScissorAnimation.gif#file

http://www.dccwiki.com/Crossing

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Gathering Lines

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Triangle or Wye

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Double Junction

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Double Crossing Diamond Junction

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 Stations and Yards

Indian Railways (IR) owns and manages one of the largest Railway networks of
the world with over 64,000 Route Kilometers (Km) and 7,000 stations.
Operations of the Indian Railways (IR) are overseen by Ministry of Railways
(MOR), Government of India and 16 Zonal Railways headed by General
Managers. The IR carries more than 17.5 million passengers every day and
some of the major Railway stations handle 100-200 million passengers per
annum. Most of the Railway stations have been built over 100 years ago, and
have a limited and aging infrastructure that handles an ever increasing number
of passengers. The Railway stations are also located in the middle of the cities
and offer enormous potential for re-development and commercial expansion.
New passenger terminals are also being developed in cities where existing
terminals cannot meet the future demand.

MANUAL FOR STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR RAILWAY STATIONS

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
Site Selection for Railway Stations

• Land Acquisition
• Proximity to town or Village
• Nature of Land Area (Level Ground with 1:1000 slope, Max
Permissible: 1:400)
• Approach Roads to the Station Site
• Station Site Alignment (Never on Curves)
• Site Drainage (1:1000)
• Station Amenities(Water Supply, Coal, Diesel, Electricity)
• Type of station and Yard (Through type or terminal type)
• Role of Authorities

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Requirements of a Railway Station
Public
• Booking Office
• Good/Passenger Platforms
• Drinking Water Arrangement
• Lighting and Ventilation
• Waiting and Retiring Rooms
• Sanitary Arrangement and Bath Rooms
• Public Telephones
• Refreshment Rooms
• Inquiry Office
• Cold Water Arrangement
• Microphones for Announcements
• Display Boards

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Requirements of a Railway Station

Unreserved waiting areas, amenities include

• Seating
• Toilets
• Food shops
• Concessionaire food and retail shops
• Mobile/ Laptop Charging points
• Wi-Fi

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Requirements of a Railway Station

Reserved waiting areas, amenities include

• Seating
• Toilets
• Food and retail shops (restaurants)
• Cyber cafes
• Cell and computer charging points
• Wi-Fi

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Requirements of a Railway Station

Premium lounge amenities include

• Upholstered seating
• Separate climate control.
• Toilets and showers
• Food and retail shops (restaurants)
• Cyber cafes
• Cell and computer charging points
• Wi-Fi

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Requirements of a Railway Station
Traffic Staff and Police
• Station Master
• Ticket Collectors
• Night Operators
• Engine Drivers
• Police Security

Train Requirements
• Train Control Equipment
• Recording the Movements of Trains
• Number of sidings for receiving, sorting, storing and
departing of trains
• Sidings for handling goods trains

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Requirements of a Railway Station
Requirements for Locomotives
• Fuel Supply
• Water Supply
• Maintenance of Locomotives

Development of Railways
• Approach Roads
• Clocks for time, guide maps
• Coolies
• Cinemas, escalators, elevators, big waiting halls,
restaurants, Underground passages etc

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Classification of Railway Stations

Operational Classification (Indian Railways)

• Block Stations – Class A, B and C (Descending order of

Importance)
• Non-block Stations – Class D and Flag Stations
• Special Class Stations

Functional Classification

• Non Junction or Wayside Stations

• Junction Stations
• Terminal Stations

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Thank you

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus