MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION line network with a central

TO RAILWAY station outside the walls of

Intramuros.
TRANSPORTATION  In 1882, the project was
approved, and the Spanish
German businessman
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Jacobo Zóbel de
Zangroniz, Spanish
 Know the history and the
engineer Luciano M.
present situation of the
Bremon, and Spanish
Philippine Railway
banker Adolfo Bayo,
Transportation.
founded the Compaña de
 Know the advantages and
Tranvias de Filipinas to
disadvantages of railway
operate the concession
transportation.
granted by the Spanish
 Learn the benefits of the
colonial government.
railway system.
 The first four (4) routes that
WHAT IS RAILWAY? ran around the City of
Manila.
 A Railway is a means of
transport wherein
passengers or goods are
transferred on a wheeled
vehicle running on rails also
known as tracks. It
commonly referred to as
train transport.
 Horse-drawn tranvias along
PHILIPPINE RAILWAY HISTORY the streets of Escolta,
Manila.
SPANISH ERA
 In 1887, while building the
 In 1878, the railway in the horse-drawn travia system,
Philippines started when the first steam railroad in
Leon Monssour, an official the Philippines started its
of the Department of Public construction in three (3)
Works of Spain, submitted a phases:
proposal to Madrid for the 1. The Manila –
Manila streetcar system. Bagbag;
Inspired by the same system 2. Bagbag –
in New York and Paris, the Mabalacat; and
proposal envisioned a five-
 3.
Mabalacat – MERALCO), to supersede
Dagupan. the entire railway system
 Steam-powered tranvia that running around Manila –
served Malabon and Tondo taking over the properties of
from 1888 to 1898. La Compaña de las
Tranvias de Filipinas. The
franchise included to
provision of 12 lines around
Manila. In the same year,
Baguio was declared as
the summer capital of the
Philippines, thus, plans
AMERICAN ERA were being centered on
providing an electric
 During the Philippine- railway line between
American War in the 1900s, Naguilian to Baguio under
the train stations served as the directions of Major
bases to be won and the Kennon.
railways are the battle  In 1906, a 9.8-km extension
grounds. The Manila- was operational connecting
Dagupan Line was the axis Paco to Fort McKinley and
of the war that advanced in Pasig. This line was one of
Luzon. the most profitable in the
 A line between Manila and system.
Antipolo commenced in  In 1907, the Panay line
1903 and should be finished started its construction
in three (3) years. The 35- connecting Iloilo City and
kilometer line shall have Roxas City. This was the first
stations at Sampaloc, Santa railway line that was built
Mesa, San Felipe Nery, San outside of Metro Manila.
Juan Del Monte, Marikina,  In 1911, the Cebu Line
Cainta, and Taytay; and four became operational
(4) bridges across the rivers alongside Panay Line.
of San Juan, Marikina, Cutcut  By 1913, Meralco has
and Cayticlin. completed 9 out of 12 lines.
 By March 24, 1903, a 50-  In 1925, the system already
year franchise was awarded extended up to 85
to the Manila Electric kilometers around the
Railway and Light Company, Manila.
a New Jersey Company (now  By 1930, the road networks
more commonly known as improved, together with the
 development of gasoline shifted priorities to building
powered bus services. more roads and highways,
Meralco continued the and a pan-Philippine
tranvia system but already highway was built, and the
stopped its expansion. Just railroad was relegated to
like in other cities in many back burner.
countries, the emergence of
automobiles led to the THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC
decline of railways.  During the rebuilt of the
JAPANESE ERA city, necessity and
resourcefulness did not call
 During WWII, the service for the tranvias and
deteriorated due to poor railways, which were put
maintenance and floods in out of business. Meralco
1943. concentrated on providing
 In the Battle of Manila in electricity to the city.
1945, the system was Further deterioration in
totally destroyed, when railway tracks and stations
Manila was considered as led to these circumstances,
the second-most destroyed and eventually, the PNR
city, after Warsaw in Poland. network has been reduced
The Cebu Line’s bridges, to 466 km consisting of part
tracks and Central Station of the PNR north line and
were all struck by bombs south line.
with damage so extensive  Advancements in
that the railway never motorization also played a
recovered. major role in the limited
 1954 to 1956, the Manila used of railways.
Railroad Company  By the 1960s, the steam
converted its fleet of trains railway lines extended to
from steam to diesel San Fernando in La Union,
engines. San Jose in Nueva Ecija, the
 Within the following lakeshore towns of Laguna,
decade, the said company Bicol, Cavite, and Batangas.
was given a new charter There were even ambitious
under Republic Act No. plans to extend the routes
4156, and its name was up to ends of Luzon in
changed to Philippine Cagayan province and
National Railways (PNR). Sorsogon.
 1970s, there were a series
of studies and plans which
THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC Philippine National
Construction Corporation)
Moves for Restoration was the Sole Contractor for
 A 1972 study, a system of the Project.
expressway and railway  LRT Line 1 opening day of
network, to match that of Carriedo Station, when
Tokyo’s, was proposes in new roof-ventilated Light
Manila. This included a Rail No. 1048 awaiting
135.1 kilometer of subway. departure from Baclaran
 In 1977, there was also a Station.
proposal to have a street-  In 1996, MRT Line 3 took
level tramcar system along advantage of the undulating
Rizal and Taft Avenue under ground surface of EDSA,
MMETROPLAN study. running high above or low
However, all these studies under the ground, avoiding
and proposals was not fly-overs and other
implemented. obstacles. The first phase
runs 17.8 kilometers with
12 stations.
THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC  MRT Line 3 was constructed
by the private company,
Literally Raised at a
Metro Rail Transit
Higher Level
Corporation (MRTC).
 North and Southbound
 It was in 1979, when the
trains of the Metro Rail
decision to build the LRT
Transit Line 3 travel along
Line 1, a 15-kilometer fully-
EDSA near Boni Avenue.
elevated railway line, was
 In 1997, LRT Line 2 started
actually realized and
with Katipunan Station,
pushed through, since the
which is the only
public transport was
underground stop. The line
already nearing its
expanded a distance of 13.8
saturation point and still
kilometers with 11
barely meets the commuter
stations, run east to west
demand.
following Marcos Highway,
 In 1981, the LRT 1 line
Aurora Boulevard, Ramon
started its construction.
Magsaysay Boulevard,
 The government-owned
Legarda Street and Claro M.
Construction Development
Recto Street.
Corporation of the
 A footbridge along the
Philippines (now the
Araneta Center, Cubao, was
 constructed in March 2005,
linking LRT Line 2 and
MRT Line 3.
 Trains’ Intersection of LRT
Line 2 and MRT Line 3.

THE PHILIPPINE RAILWAY

SYSTEM

Metro Manila

 The Railways of Metro

Manila show on a wider
view, where the Orange Line THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC
(PNR) extends up to
THINGS TO IMPROVE
Alabang though in reality it
extends down to Legazpi 1. ACCESSIBILITY – the stations and
City, Albay. cars of the railways system in the
Philippines are not properly
Greater Manila
equipped to be accessible to walks of
 The network makes up most life, especially for people with
active railways in the disabilities.
country and bear the brunt
2. POOR OPERATION AND
of providing the metropolis
MAINTENANCE – this has been an
with rail as a faster
issue since history, which could
alternative mode of
mean that this practice would really
transport other than buses
be a major step in being able to put
and jeepneys.
into realization and actualization.
 As of 2021, the three
systems and its four - Comfort for commuters is
operational lines combined one of the necessities that
has 82 stations, covering a should be maintained by the
total of 113.3 km. railway system.
 Interchange stations, where
commuters can transfer 3. SPEED – the MRT Line 3 currently
from one line to another, are runs at 40kph from its usual 60 –
also known as common 65kph, due to the series of accidents
stations. that have occurred in the system in
the past years, making it much
slower than the speed limit for
automobiles along EDSA, at 60kph.
 - The PNR runs at 40 to 90kph the tracks of the existing
for Metro services and 80 to railway lines.
120kph for provincial
services. 6. SENSE OF HERITAGE – ever since,
the Manila-Dagupan Northline
4. SECURITY AND SAFETY – the closed down, its tracks and stations
growing number of informal settlers were mostly forgotten and
has a high impact in the railway disregarded.
security.
7. POLICY AND GOVERNANCE -
- A main issue especially for There are problems with regards to
the PNR lines which are on- the;
grade. Since, the line is on-
ground, there are more - Acceleration in Project
encounters with road Implementations
networks and people. - Absence of a Coherent and
- February 18, 2011, at North Sustained Rail Policy
EDSA two LRT trains collide - High Interests on rail from
due to a technical Official Development
malfunction on the Assistance (ODA) and
railroad’s reverse tracks at Private Sector.
Roosevelt Station.

5. AFFORDABILITY OF ADVANCED THE FUTURE OF RAILWAY

SYSTEMS – the start of a transit- SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
based development is eminent with 1. NORTH TRIANGLE COMMON
the sheer number of condominium STATION
projects being built close to railway
stations. - This concourse area will
connect MRT-3, MRT-7,
- In a city that is known for LRT-1 and the Metro Manila
heavy traffic, the developers Subway, and will benefit
took this opportunity to 478, 000 (projected)
provide residential units passengers daily.
near transit hubs to increase - Constructions is 24/7
mobility. - Target Opening: July 2023
- Due to the high poverty rate
and rise of informal settlers 2. METRO RAIL TRANSIT LINE 7
along the on-ground railway
- Total Project Cost: Php 62.7
systems, there are already
Billion
more sustainable (and
- Source of Funding: San
illegal) approaches to utilize
Miguel Corporation
 - Construction Timeline: - Source of funding: China
Partial Operations by 2023 ODA (suspended)
and Full Operations by - Construction Timeline: TBA
2024-2025 - Capacity: 130, 000
- Capacity: 300, 000 (initial) passengers daily
and 850, 000 (design
capacity) 6. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT LINE 2
WEST EXTENSION
3. NORTH-SOUTH COMMUTER
RAILWAY - Total Project Cost: Php 10.1
Million
- Total Project Cost: Php - Source of funding:
777.55 Billion Government of the
- Source of Funding: Japan Philippines (GPH)
International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) and Asian 7. METRO RAIL TRANSIT LINE 4
Development Bank (ADB) - Total Project Cost: Php 59.3
- Construction Timeline: Billion
Partial Operations by 2023, - Source of funding: Asian
Full Operations by 2025 Development Bank (ADB)
- Capacity: 350, 000 - Construction Timeline:
passengers daily. Planned Opening by 2028
4. METRO MANILA SUBWAY - Capacity: 234, 433
PROJECT estimated daily passengers.

- Total Project Cost: Php 8. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT LINE 6

355.6 Billion (PROPOSED)
- Source of Funding: Official - Indicative Project Cost: Php
Development Assistance 73.24 Billion
(ODA) - Construction Timeline:
- Construction Timeline: Partial Operation by 2027
Partial Operations by 2025, - Capacity: 200, 000 daily
Substantial Completion by ridership
2028-2029
- Capacity: 370, 000 ADVANTAGES OF RAILWAY
(projected) passengers TRANSPORT
daily.
- Dependable
5. MINDANAO RAILWAY PROJECT - Better Organized
- High Speed over long
- Total Project Cost: P82.9 distance
Billion (a 130% increase) - Suitable for freight
 - Cheaper transport MODULE 2: RAILWAY
- Safe and convenient PROJECT PLANNING
- Larger capacity
- Public welfare LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Administrative Facilities of
Government  Understand the planning
- Employment opportunities preparation for railway
transport.
DISADVANTAGES OF RAILWAY  Recognize the importance of
TRANSPORT railway planning for
implementation.
- Huge capital to establish
- Lack of flexibility “If we fail to prepare, we prepare to
- Lack of door-to-door service fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
- Monopoly
- Unsuitable for short WHAT IS PLANNING?
distance and mall loads - Planning is setting the
- Booking formalities
direction for something –
- No rural service some system – and then
- Under-utilized capacity guiding the system to follow
- Centralized administration the direction.
- High Maintenance Cost
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING – a
BENEFITS FROM RAILWAY
form of procedural discipline that
TRAANSPORT deals with problem identification,
- Industrial expansion and development of alternatives,
new industries evaluation and decision-making,
- Increased community implementation of the best transport
income alternative and monitoring
- Increased land value outcomes.
- Lower cost of freight - Transport Planning is
transport defined as planning
- Reduced road congestion required in the operation,
- Value of time savings provision and management
- Improved transport safety of facilities and services for
- Reduced pollution the modes of transport to
- Energy savings achieve safer, faster,
comfortable, convenient,
economical and
environment-friendly
 movement of people and - System Reliability
goods. - Safety and Security
- Freight Mobility
PURPOSE OF TRANSPORTATION - Access to Employment
PLANNING
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
 Identifying multiple options PROCESS – The transportation
for transportation. Planning Process has many factors to
 Identifying outlying consider. Modes of transportation,
problems to a infrastructure, technology, demand
transportation system. and users are all needs to be
 Identifying possible considerations for the overall
solutions to those identified process.
transportation system.
 Optimizing of existing TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
transportation systems and PROCESS
structural design.
- Situation Definition
IMPORTANCE OF - Problem Definition
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING - Search for a Solution
- Analysis of Performance
- Obsolete road designs, - Evaluation of Alternative
roadside hazards, and - Choice of Project
substandard road - Specification and
conditions can cause Construction
highway fatalities in
different areas is essential URBAN TRANSPORTATION
to the accessibility of land, PLANNING
growth of the economy, and
the overall environment of  Urban Transportation
the city. planning involves the
evaluation and selection of
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING highway or transit facilities
GOALS to serve present and future
land uses.
- Transportation and Land
 Urban transportation
Use Integration
planning is concerned with
- Preservation and
two separate time horizons:
Maintenance
 SHORT TERM
- Multimodal Connectivity
 LONG TERM
- Environment and Air
SHORT TERM – this type
Quality
of planning pertains to
- Congestion Mitigation
different matters
 regarding transportation 4. Rolling Stock Schedules
within a certain area that
can be accomplished 5. Crew Schedules
within three (3) years. OPERATIONAL LEVEL

- These projects are designed 6. Real Time Management

to provide better
THE RAILWAY PLANNING
management of existing
PROCESS
facilities by making them as
efficient as possible. STRATEGIC LEVEL – problems are
characterized by lengthy time
LONG TERM – this type horizons and typically involve
of planning is more resource acquisition.
structured and complex.
It requires thorough  Network Planning
inspection and planning  Line Planning
better than short term
planning. This type of - NETWORK PLANNING –
planning usually is central to the network
accomplished with five planning phase of this
(5) or more years. planning level are problems
which concern the
RAIL TRANSPORT construction, and/or
modification of existing
- It is convenient mode of
infrastructure.
transport for travelling long
- LINE PLANNING – a line in a
distances.
railway network refers to a
- Its operation is less affected
route that starts and ends at
by adverse weather
a terminal station, connects
conditions like rain, floods,
several intermediate
fogs, etc.
stations, and is operated by
THE RAILWAY PLANNING a particular train type. The
PROCESS frequency of a given line is
the number of trains serving
STRATEGIC LEVEL it over a certain time period.
1. Network Planning TACTICAL LEVEL – problems focus
2. Line Planning more on allocating resources over an
infrastructure that is assumed to be
TACTICAL LEVEL fixed.

3. Timetable Generation  Timetable Generation

 Rolling Stock Schedules made in the rolling stock is
 Crew Schedules important, especially for
commercially oriented
- TIMETABLE GENERATION railway operators, since it is
– the problem of one of their largest cost
determining the arrival and sources.
departure times for a set of - CREW SCHEDULES – the
trains at a sequence of journey of the trains, also of
stations is commonly the empty trains or
referred to as the train equipment between
timetabling problem. stations, are split into
Depending on the nature of sequences of trips. A trip is a
the underlying network, this segment of a train journey
problem does present itself that must be serviced by the
in several different forms. same crew, without rest
 The problem is periods. The problem of
termed the train crew scheduling deals with
pathing problem, or the construction of duties
the train scheduling from a given collection of
problem, and not trips.
without confusion,
the train OPERATIONAL LEVEL – problems
dispatching are defined to be those that occur on
problem. In such a day-to-day basis when operating
problems as a policies determined at the tactical
routing of the trains level need to be adjusted due to
is equated with a unforeseen disturbances.
feasible so-called  Real Time Management
meet/pass plan in
which trains are - REAL TIME MANAGEMENT
scheduled to stop at – it permanently monitor
stations to allow the real-time railway
trains to share the processes. If there are
infrastructure or neither disturbances nor
even overtake one disruptions, then there are
another. delays or disruptions, then
- ROLLING STOCK they must reschedule the
SCHEDULES – the type and timetable.
quantity of the engines and
carriages to be used, and the
more detailed routing is
“Organizations are successful because GUIDELINES TO ENSURE
of good implementation, not good PLANNING AND
business plans.” – Guy Kawasaki IMPLEMENTATION
- Build in Accountability
WHAT IS IMPLEMENTATION? (regularly review who’s
- The process of putting a doing what and by when?)
decision or plan into effect; - Note deviations from the
execution. Plan and Replan
accordingly.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN – the - Evaluate Planning Process
implementation plan facilitates the and the Plan.
execution of a plan, idea, model, - Recurring Planning Process
design, specification, standard, is at Least as important as
algorithm, or policy by presenting plan document.
clear implementation steps that - Nature of the process
need to follow. Thus, an should be compatible to
implementation plan is the nature of planners.
documented steps you need to take - Critical – But Frequently
to successfully achieve your Missing Step –
implementation pursuits. Acknowledgement and
Celebration of Results.
GUIDELINES TO ENSURE
PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION

- Involve the Right People in QUIZ-BASED NOTES

the Planning Process.
- Write down the Planning MODULE 1
information and
communicate it widely. RAILWAY – a permanent track
- Goals and Objectives should composed of a line of parallel metal
be SMARTER. rails fixed to sleepers.

SMARTER TRACK – it enables train to move by

providing a dependable surface for
 Specific their wheels to roll upon.
 Measurable
 Acceptable SLEEPERS – it transfer load to the
 Realistic track ballast and subgrade, hold the
 Time frame rails upright and keep them spaced
 Extending to the correct gauge.
 Rewarding
CALESA – a primary mode of public down vegetation that might interfere
and private transportation during with the track structure.
the colonial era of the Philippines.
TRAIN – a form of rail transport
CARRUAJE – fancy horse-drawn consisting of a series of connected
mode of transportation during vehicles that generally run along a
Spanish regime. railway track.

TRANVIA – a streetcar system that

served Manila and its surrounding
MODULE 2
cities during the early years of the
OPERATIONAL LEVEL – this often
20th century.
described as single use plans or on-
JAPANESE ERA – it was the time of going plans.
railways destruction.
- This level is about how
AMERICAN ERA – it was the time things need to happen.
when Baguio was declared as the
TACTICAL LEVEL – basically this
summer capital of the Philippines.
level are focused, specific, and short-
- It was the time when the term plans, where the actual work is
Electric-powered tranvia being done.
was introduced.
CREW SCHEDULES – it deals with
SPANISH ERA – it was the time when the construction of duties from a
railway system used horse-drawn given collection of trips.
carriages.
SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION – this is
- It was the time when first the brainstorming stage in which
steam railroad in the many options may be proposed for
Philippines started its later testing and evaluation.
construction in 3 phases.
ENVIRONMENT & AIR QUALITY –
TUTUBAN STATION – this was this planning goal can have a
considered as the central station of significant impact in providing
the Philippine Railway Lines during project alternatives that protect and
Spanish Era. enhance the region’s natural
resources.
MERALCO – they superseded the
entire railway system running FREIGHT MOBILITY – this planning
around Manila on March 24, 1903 goal can have a significant impact in
enhancing freight corridors and
BALLAST – it is used to bear the load intermodal connections to facilitate
from the sleepers, to facilitate
drainage of water, and also to keep
goods movement into, within and
out of the region.

STRATEGIC LEVEL – it starts at the

highest level with defining a mission
and casting a vision.

PLANNING – it is the process of

thinking regarding the activities
required to achieve a desired goal.

TIMETABLE GENERATION – it
usually considers limited routing
possibilities for trains.

SYSTEM RELIABILITY – this

planning goal can have a significant
impact in implementing
technologies and programs to
improve travel times and support
the ease of travel time throughout
the region.

SUCCESS – it is the achievement of

desired result.

ANALYSIS PERFORMANCE – the

purpose of this planning is to
estimate how each of the proposed
alternatives would perform under
present and future conditions.

NETWORK PLANNING – it focused

in evaluation, possible changes to the
network and assess impact,
particularly from a capacity
perspective.

SAFETY AND SECURITY – this

planning goal can have a significant
impact in providing the
transportation improvements that
increase safety and security for
systems users.
 MODULE 3: RAILWAY
TRACK

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

- Determine the various NARROW GAUGE is suitable when

components of a railway the construction of a track with
track. wider gauge is prohibited due to the
- Understand the purpose of provision of sharp curves, steep
each component of a railway gradients, narrow bridges and
track. tunnels etc.
RAILWAY TRACK GAUGE METER GAUGE

When the clear horizontal distance

between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is
1000mm, the gauge is known as
METER GAUGE (MG).

The clear minimum horizontal

distance between the inner METER GAUGE is suitable when the
(running) faces of the two rails funds available for the railway
forming a track is known as GAUGE. project are inadequate.
In European countries, the gauge is
BROAD GAUGE
measured between the inner faces of
two rails at a point 14mm below the When the clear horizontal distance
top of the rail. between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is
NARROW GAUGE
1676mm, the gauge is known as
When the clear horizontal distance BROAD GAUGE (BG).
between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is
610mm or 762mm, the gauge is
known as NARROW GAUGE (NG).
BROAD GAUGE is suitable when 5. The track should be resilient and
sufficient funds are available for the elastic in order to absorb the shocks
railway project. and vibrations of running trains.

CHOICE OF GAUGE 6. The tracks should have a drainage

system so that the stability despite
 Cost Considerations variations in temperature and other
 Traffic Considerations such factors.
 Physical Features of the
Country 7. There should be provisions for
 Uniformity of Gauge easy replacement and renewal of the
various track components.
TRACK – a track or permanent way
can be defined as the combination of 8. The track should have such a
rails, fitted on sleepers and resting structure that not only is its initial
on ballast and sub grade. cost low, but also its maintenance
cost is minimum.
COMPONENTS OF A RAILWAY
TRACK RAILS – are the members of the track
laid in two parallel lines to provide
an unchanging, continuous, and level
surface for the movement of trains.
To be able to withstand stresses,
they are made of high-carbon steel.

FUNCTIONS OF RAILS

 Rails provide a continuous and

level surface for the movement
REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD TRACK
of trains.
1. The gauge should be uniform and  Rails provide a pathway which
correct. is smooth and has very little
friction. The friction between
2. The rails should have perfect cross the steel wheel and the steel
levels. rail is about one-fifth of the
3. The alignment should be straight friction between the pneumatic
and free of kinks. tyre and a metaled road.
 Rail serve as a lateral guide for
4. The gradient should be uniform the wheels.
and as gentle as possible.  Rails bear the stresses
developed due to vertical loads
transmitted to them through
axles and wheels of rolling
 stock as well as due to braking  Wrought iron was used to
and thermal forces. manufacture these rails.
 Rails carry out the function of
transmitting the load to a large BULL HEADED
area of the formation through
sleepers and the ballast.

Formerly wooden rails are used

with thin plates and later
classified:

 Cast – Iron
 Consist of three (3) parts:
 Malleable Iron
Head, Web, and Foot.
 Wrought Iron
 Two (2) cast iron chairs are
 Steel
required for each sleeper.
Presently, rails was classified into  Weight of standard rail of
three (3) types: this type is 47kg per meter
on main lines and 42kg
 Double Headed per meter for branch
 Bull Headed lines.
 Flat Footed  Length of rail is generally
18.29 meters.
TYPES OF RAILS
FLAT FOOTED
DOUBLE HEADED

 Consist of three (3) parts:

Upper Table, Web, and
Lower Table.
 Upper and Lower Table was
identical
 The idea was to double the
life of rails – FAILED.  This type of rail was
 Now practically out of use. invented by Charles
 Length varies from 610 to Vignole in 1836.
732 cm.
  The rail sections having FUNCTIONS OF SLEEPERS
their foot rolled to flat are
called flat footed or  Holding the rails in their
vignole’s rails. correct gauge and
 In this type of rail, foot is alignment.
spread out to form a base.  Giving a firm and even
 Highly popular and most support to the rails.
used in railways.  Transferring the load evenly
 90% of the present railway from the rails to a wider
track consist of flat footed area of the ballast.
rails.  Acting as an elastic medium
between the rails and the
STANDARD RAIL SECTION ballast to absorb the blows
and vibrations caused by
Rail designated by its weight for unit moving loads.
length (Example: 60kg/m or 60lb/yd,  Providing longitudinal and
etc.) lateral stability to the
Weight and section of rail is permanent way.
governed by many factors:  Providing the means to
rectify the track geometry
 Gauge of Track during their service life.
 Maximum Permissible
Speed REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD
 Type and Spacing of SLEEPERS
Sleepers  The initial as well as
 Depth of Ballast Cushion maintenance cost should be
 Heaviest moving load likely minimum.
to cross over the rail.  The weight of the sleeper
Maximum axle load that can be should be moderate so that
carried by a rail depends on its it is convenient to handle.
weight.  The designs of the sleeper
and the fastenings should be
SLEEPERS – are transverse such that it is possible to fix
members of the track placed below and remove the rails easily.
the rails to support and fix them in  The sleeper should have
position. sufficient bearing area so
that the ballast under it is
not crushed.
 The sleeper should be such
that it is possible to
 maintain and adjust the CONCRETE SLEEPERS – the need for
gauge properly. concrete sleepers has been felt
 The material of the sleeper mainly due to economic
and its design should be considerations coupled with
such that it does not break changing traffic patterns. With the
or get damaged during development of concrete technology
packing. in the nineteenth century, cement
 The design of the sleeper concrete has established its place as
should be such that it is a versatile building material and
possible to have track could be adopted suitably to meet
circuiting. the requirements of a railway
 The sleeper should be sleeper. The development of
capable of resisting concrete sleepers that took place on
vibrations and shocks various railway systems was mainly
caused by the passage of based on reinforced and
fast-moving trains. prestressed concrete.
 The sleeper should have
anti-sabotage and anti-theft BALLAST – is a layer of broken
features. stones, gravel, moorum, or any other
granular material placed and packed
TYPES OF SLEEPERS below and around sleepers for
distributing load from the sleepers
WOODEN SLEEPERS – these to the formation. It provides
sleepers are regarded to be the best drainage as well as longitudinal and
as they satisfy all the requirements lateral stability to the track.
of good sleepers and are the only
sleeper suitable for track circuiting. FUNCTIONS OF BALLAST
The life of wooden sleepers depends
upon their ability to resist wear,  It provides a level and hard
attack by white ants and quality of bed for the sleepers to rest
timber used. on.
 It holds the sleepers in
METAL SLEEPERS – the sleepers position during the passage
usually made of cast iron or steel are of trains.
known as metal sleepers. Due to  It transfers and distributes
growing shortage of timber to be load from the sleepers to a
used for wooden sleepers, their high large area of the formation.
maintenance, cast and short life,  It provides elasticity and
metal sleepers are being widely resilience to the track for
used. proper riding comfort.
 It provides the necessary
resistance to the track for
 longitudinal and lateral FUNCTIONS OF FORMATION
stability.
 It provides effective  To provide a smooth and
drainage to the track. uniform bed for laying the
 It provides an effective track.
means of maintaining the  To bear the load transmitted
level and alignment of the to it from the moving load
track. through the ballast.
 To facilitate drainage.
REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD  To provide stability to the
BALLAST track.
 It should be tough and wear RAIL FIXTURES AND FASTENINGS
resistant. – the purpose of providing fixtures
 It should be hard so that it and fastenings in railway tracks is to
does not get crushed under hold the rails in their proper position
the moving loads. in order to ensure the smooth
 It should be generally running of trains.
cubical with sharp edges.
FUNCTIONS OF RAIL FIXTURES
 It should be non-porous and
AND FASTENINGS
should not absorb water.
 It should resist both  To join the rails, end to end
attrition abrasion. to form full length of track.
 It should be durable and  To fix the rails to sleepers.
should not get pulverized or  To maintain the correct
disintegrated under adverse alignment of the track.
weather conditions.  To provide proper
 It should allow for good expansion gap between
drainage of water. rails.
 It should be cheap and  To maintain the required tilt
economical. of rails.
 To set the points and
crossings in proper position.
SUBGRADE AND FORMATION
TYPES OF RAIL FIXTURES AND
SUBGRADE is the naturally FASTENINGS
occurring soil which is prepared to
receive the ballast. The prepared flat FISH PLATE
surface, which is ready to receive the  The name “FISH PLATE”
ballast, sleepers, and rails, is called derives from the fish-
the FORMATION.
 shaped section of the fitting little attention towards its
shown. maintenance.
 The function of a fish plate is
to hold two rails together in
both the horizontal and
vertical planes.

BEARING PLATE

 Bearing plates are cast iron

or steel plates placed in
between the flat-footed rail
and wooden sleepers of a
railway track.
 Flat-footed rail is fixed
directly on wooden sleepers
sink in the sleeper due to the
heavy loads of trains and
thus loosen the spikes.

SPIKES

 Spikes are used to fix rails to

wooden sleepers. Spikes are
of following types:
 Dog spikes
 Round spikes
 Screw spikes
 Elastic spikes

BOLTS

 Bolts are used to connect

various joint in track.
Differently types of bolts are
commonly used:
 Fish bolts
 Hook bolts
 Fang bolts

PANDROL CLIP

 It is a ‘fit and forget’ type of

fastening that requires very