Lec. - Railway Engineering Assist. Lec.

Zaid Abdul Zahra Mahdi

Also there is another types adapted in India 762 mm (2' 6") and 610 mm (2' 0") called narrow
gauges were introduced for thinly populated areas, mountain railways, and other miscellaneous
purposes.

Factors theoretically influence the choice of the gauge:

a- Cost Considerations

There is only a marginal increase in the cost of the track if a wider gauge is adopted.

b- Traffic Considerations

The volume of traffic depends upon the size of wagons and the speed and hauling capacity of the
train, as a wider gauge can carry larger wagons and coaches, it can theoretically carry more traffic.
A wider gauge has a greater potential at higher speeds, because speed is a function of the
diameter of the wheel, which in turn is limited by the width of the gauge.

c- Physical Features of the Country

It is possible to adopt steeper gradients and sharper curves for a narrow gauge as compared to a
wider gauge.

d- Uniformity of Gauge

The existence of a uniform gauge in a country enables smooth, speedy, and efficient operation of
trains. Therefore a single gauge should be adopted irrespective of the minor advantages of a
wider gauge and the few limitations of a narrower gauge.

Dual-gauge Tracks
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has
railway track that allows trains of different
gauges to use the same track. Generally dual-
gauge railway consists of three rails, rather
than the standard two rails. The two outer
rails give the wider gauge, while one of the
outer rails and the inner rail give a narrower
gauge. Thus one of the three rails is common
to all traffic.
Lec. - Railway Engineering Assist. Lec. Zaid Abdul Zahra Mahdi

Alignment of Railway Lines

Alignment of railway line refers to the direction and position given to the center line of the
railway track on the ground in the horizontal and vertical planes.

Horizontal alignment means the direction of the railway track in the plan including the straight
path and the curves it follows.

Vertical alignment means the direction it follows in a vertical plane including the level track,
gradients, and vertical curves.

There are various factors affecting alignment, and types of track alignments and their suitability in
different terrains.

Types of Railway Alignments:

The alignment of a new railway line depends upon the topography of the country it traverses. The
following few situations may arise.

A. Plane alignment: When the topography is plane and flat, the alignment presents no
problems and can pass through obligatory points and yet have very easy gradients.
Lec. - Railway Engineering Assist. Lec. Zaid Abdul Zahra Mahdi

B. Valley alignment ( ): The alignment of a railway line in valley is simple and does not
pose ( ) any problem. If two control points lie in the same valley, a straight line is
provided between these points with a uniform gradient.

Valley alignment

C. Cross-country alignment: The alignment of a railway line in such terrain crosses the
watersheds ( of two or more streams of varied sizes.

As the levels vary in cross country the gradients are steep and varying and there are sags
and summits.

The controlling or obligatory points for cross-country alignment may be the lowest saddles
or tunnels.

It may be desirable to align the line for some length along the watersheds so that some of
the drainage crossings may be avoided.

D. Mountain alignment: The levels in mountains vary considerably, and if normal alignment
is adopted, the grades would become too steep, much more than the ruling gradient
(allowable gradient). In order to remain within the ruling gradient the length of the
railway line is inc es