Unit 3

3.1: Railway Stations and Yards

3.2: Signalling & Interlocking

1
Railway Station:
1) A railway station or a railroad station and often shortened to just station.
2) A place where trains regularly stop to load or unload passengers and goods.
3) A place where railway trains come to halt on order to take up and get down passenger and
goods.
4) At station traffic is booked and an authority is given to travel in the trains.

2
Purpose of Railway Station:-
1) To take up or exchange of passengers and goods.
2) To control the train movements
3) To enable the trains on a single line track , to cross from opposite directions.
4) To enable the following express trains to overtake
5) For taking diesel or coal and water forlocomotives
6) For detaching engines and runningstaff
7) For detaching or attaching of compartments and wagons
8) For sorting of bogies to form new trains, housing of locomotive in loco sheds.
9) In emergencies in ease of dislocation of track due to rains, accidents etc...
10) For repairing engines and changing theirdirection

3
Requirements of Railway Station:-
A railway should satisfy the following basic requirements providedfor:
1) Public
2) Traffic Staff & Police
3) Trains Requirements
4) Locomotives
5) Development of Railways:

4
Public Requirements:
1) A booking office for tickets.
2) Good & Passenger platforms.
3) Drinking Water.
4) Lighting & Ventilation.
5) Waiting Room.
6) SanitaryArrangements
7) Telephone, Refreshment Room, Inquiry room, etc
8) Display Board

Traffic Staff & Police:

A station should provide facilities to staff to perform their duties in a best possible way

5
Trains Requirements:
1) Control of movements by signal.
2) Sufficient number if sidings & platforms.

Locomotives:
1) Proper arrangement for supply of fuel and water to locomotives.
2) Arrangement for cleaning, examining, inspection & maintenance.

Development of Railways:
1) Easy & comfortable approach road to station.
2) Installation of clock for correct time, guide map of city & display boards.
3) Availabilities of coolies.
4) Waiting rooms, underground passages, staircase, escalators, restaurants, etc.

6
Factors Influencing The Selection of Site for a RailwayStation:
1) Close to town.
2) Sufficient area availability for future development.
3) Fairly level ground.
4) Road connectivity.
5) Site should not be on the curve of railway line.
6) Sufficient quantity of water.
7) Should not be in low laying area.
8) Site should not be on slope.
9) Drainage facilities.

7
 Classifications of Railway
Stations
Railway stations

Operational Functional

1. Wayside
Block Non-Block

2.Junction
1.Class A 1.Class D

3.Terminal
2.Class B 2.Flag

3.Class C 3.Spl.class
Station can be classified according to operational & functional characteristics as
below:
A) Operational Classification: Indian Railway classified the stations as below.
1) Block Stations – Class A, Class B, & Class C in descending order of
importance.
2) Non-block Stations – Class D Stations & Flag Stations.
3) Special Class Stations.

B) Functional Classification: Based on their function, stations are classified as

below.
1) Wayside Stations
2) Junction Stations
3) Terminal Stations

9
A) Operational Classification:
1) Block Stations – Class A, Class B, & Class C in descending order of
importance.
 Block station is a place on the railway line at which permission to
approach
and authority to proceed are granted.
 Block stations are sort of compartments into which the rail line is divided,
are
established so as to safety space the train behind each other.
 Block stations are made at the ends of block section and are equipped with
signals which demarcate the limits of the block sections.

1) Non-block Stations – Class D Stations & Flag Stations.

 These are called Class D or Flag stations.
 These are situated between two consecutive block stations
 They do not define the boundary of any block section.
 Neither telegraphically connected to adjacent stations nor have any
10
apparatus or staff for controlling the movements of train.
Class A Stations: Where the line has to be cleared up to an adequate distance
(400m) beyond the home signal for giving permission to approach to a train.

Home Signal, Starter Signal & Warner Signal.

Class B Stations: Where the line has to be cleared upto an adequate distance beyond
the outer signal before giving permission to approach to a train. Outer signal is used at
distance of 580m from the home signal.

Class C Stations: It is a block hut where no passenger are booked. It is used as a

means to split a long block section so that the interval between successive trains is
reduced. Trains usually do not stop at these stations.

Class D Stations: Station does not define the boundary of any block section. No staff
for controlling movements of the trains.

Flag Stations: Trains are stopped by various ad hoc arrangements. Not connected
telegraphically & no apparatus.

Special Class Stations: Those are not covered under A, B, C, & D 22

classes.
12
Functional Classification: Based on their function, stations are classified as
below.
1) Wayside Stations
2) Junction Stations
3) Terminal Stations

Wayside Stations:
 In this type arrangements are made for crossing or for overtaking
trains.
 Wayside stations are of the following types.
 Trains move only in two direction i.e. up & down side direction.

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Junction
Stations:
 At a junction stations, lines from three or more directions meet.

 The stations where a branch line meets the main line are known as
junctions.
 Facilities for interchange of traffic between main and branch line
 Facilities to clean and repair the compartments of the trains
 Facilities for good sidings, engine sheds, turn table etc.

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Terminal
Stations:
 It is a station where a railway line or one of its branches terminates.

 Watering, coaling, cleaning, servicing the engine.

 Turn table for the change of direction of the engine.
 Facilities for dealing goods traffic.
 Marshalling yard, engine sheds, sidings etc.
 Ticket office, restaurant etc are provided and it is directly connected to the
road.

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Platforms
:
1) A section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a railway station.

2) A place at which passengers may board or alight from trains.

3) Larger stations having multiple platforms.
4) Platform types include the bay platform, side platform & island platform.
5) A bay platform is one at which the track terminates, i.e. a dead-end or siding.
6) A side platform is the more usual type, alongside tracks where the train arrives
from
one end and leaves towards the other.
7) An island platform has through platforms on both sides; it may be indented on
one or both ends, with bay platforms.

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Passenger Platform& Goods
Platform

17
Requirements of Platforms :
The sills of wagon doors of trains are considerably higher than the rail level. Therefore
for entering and getting down of passenger & for loading & unloading of goods from
trains, suitable surface known as platform are required.

1) Minimum length of platform should be 180m.

2) Minimum width of platform should be 3.67m & should be paved
fully.
3) Platform should be covered atleast for a length of 60m.
4) Drinking water & sanitary facilities must be provided.
5) Sign boards.
6) Ventilation & Lighting arrangements.
7) Slope of platform in its width should be 1 in 30.

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Passenger
Platforms:
 Passenger enters & get down the train are called passenger
platforms.
 Minimum paved width should be 3.67m.
 Drinking water, lighting, etc. facilities.
 Boards or sign boards.

Goods Platform :
 Goods are dispatched or dislodged.
 Height of these platform are kept more.
 Minimum width of platform is 3m.
 Goods shed should be provided.
 Arrangements for weighing the goods.
 Drainage facilities.

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Loop
:1) When a branch line from a main line again terminates at the same main line, it is
called a Loop.

2) Three types of loops: Split Turn Out, Trailing Turn Out & Straight & Loop
3) A straight & loop arrangement is suitable for fast through train as there is no
reduction in speed

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Yard: (Station
Yard)
 A system of tracks laid within definite limits for various purposes such as
receiving
sorting and dispatch of vehicles on a railway station.
 Yards are provided at the important railway stations such as junction stations,
terminal station, etc.

 To receive, store, clean, repair, sort, make up trains, dispatch train & other purposes.
 Movements of trains is controlled by prescribed rules, regulations & signals provided
separately for yards.

21
Types of
Yards:
Passenger yards
Goods yards
Marshalling
yards
Locomotive yards

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Passenger
Yards:
Function of passenger yard is to provide all the facilities for the safe movement of
passengers.
Facilities in passenger yards:
1) Booking office, enquiry office, luggage booking room, and waiting room for
passengers.

2) Parking space for vehicles.

3) Signals for reception and dispatch of trains.
4) sidings for shunting facilities.
5) Facilities for changing batteries.
6) Facilities for passing a through train.
7) Washing lines facilities.

23
Goods
Yard:-
1) Provided for receiving, loading and unloading of goods from wagons.

2) Goods yard also known as a goods station or goods depot.

3) It may be paved with gravel, moorum, WBM, bituminous pavement &
concrete
pavement.
4) It is widest sense, a railway station which is exclusively used to load & unload goods
from ships or road vehicles and/or where goods wagons are transferred to local
sidings.

Requirements of Goods Yard:

1) Approach road for movement of goods.
2) Sufficient number of platforms for loading & unloading.
3) Sufficient number of godowns.
4) Booking office.
5) Cart weighing machine.
3
5
Marshalling
Yards:-
1) Place where goods wagons received from different centres are sorted out & placed in

order to be detached at different station.

2) The marshalling yards are distribution centres.

3) Empty wagons are also kept in marshalling yards.
4) It is centre where goods wagons are sorted out & isolated wagons are combined to
form a train load.

25
Factors For the Efficient Functioning of Marshalling
Yards:-
1) Shunting operations should not disturb the regular trains.

2) Should be kept parallel to the running trains.

3) Movement of wagons in one direction only.
4) Repair facilities should be provided on one or more
sidings.
5) Connected to all important railway stations.
6) Goods yard should be nearer to the marshalling yard.

26
Types of Marshalling
Yards:-
1) Flat yard: Flat yards are constructed on flat ground, or on a
gentle slope. A flat yard has no
hump, and relies on locomotives for all car movements

2) Gravity yard: The whole yard is set up on a continuous falling gradient and there is
less use of shunting engines. Very large capacity but they need more staff than
hump yards and thus they are the most uneconomical .

3) Hump yard: These are the largest and most effective yards, with the largest
shunting capacity—often several thousand cars a day. The heart of these yards is
the hump. A hump yard has a constructed hill, over which freight cars are shoved
by yard locomotives, and then gravity is used to propel the cars to various sorting
tracks

27
Locomotive
Yards:-
1) This is the yard which houses the locomotives for various facilities such as

watering, fueling, cleaning, repairing, servicingetc.

Should be located near the passenger and goods yards.

Water column, Engine shed, Ash pit, inspection pit, repair shed, turn table.

Hydraulic jack for lifting operations.

Place for future expansion.

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Reception
Siding:-
1) Used to receive the incoming trains. The incoming trains stand on theses sidings

and wait for their turn of shunting operations.

2) The shunting are generally laid in the form of a grid and their lengths kept equal.

Sorting Siding:-
1) Used during shunting operations.
2) Each siding is allotted to wagons bund for one particular direction or destination.

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Station Equipments:-
For efficient running of trains, safety of traffic, repairing, cleaning, examining of
locomotives etc. some equipments and machinery are needed. These equipments
are known as station equipment.

Engine Shed, Water Column, Ash

Pit, Turn Table, Triangle, Buffers
Stop,
Fouling Marks, Examination Pits,
Traverse, Derailing Switch, Drop Pits,
Scotch Block, Sand Hump, Weigh
Bridge, etc.s

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Engine
Sheds:-
1) Railway engine sheds were provided at terminal stations, junctions, and other
locations around the railway.
2) Covered accommodation for servicing locomotives (this could be simple tasks such
as changing brake blocks to more complex task that involved dismantling and
repairing the engine)

3) Types of engine sheds are (i) Rectangular type (ii) Circular type

Rectangular Sheds:-
 In this type of engine shed, two parallel tracks are laid, which meet at one or both the
ends.

 The engine can come from one end and leave the shed in other end.
 They need more space.
 They are widely used in India.

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32
Circular Type Engine
Shed:-
1) This type of shed consists of radiating tracks and a circular structure known as round

house.

2) A turn table is also provided with the help of turn table the incoming locomotive is
put up on the unoccupied track of the shed.
3) Needs less place.
4) Skilled labour is needed for the construction.

Turn Table:-
1) A turntable is a device used to turn locomotive or rolling stock.
2) a large circular platform which is used to turn locomotives and other rolling stock.
3) A well-engineered turntable is designed in such a way that the efforts of only
two or three people are needed to operate the turntable, even when dealing with
very large

and heavy locomotives.

4) The reason the turntable was developed was because early steam locomotives were
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somewhat difficult to run in reverse.
Turn Table &
Traingles

34
Triangles
:-
1) Used for turning railway equipment.
2) By performing the railway equivalent of a three point turn, the direction of
a locomotive or railway vehicle can be swapped around, leaving it facing in the
direction

from which it came.

3) It consists of three short lengths of tracks laid toform a triangle and connected to
each other by three pairs of points and crossings.

4) Two tracks are laid in curves and third as straight.

5) The engine moves completely round the triangle and its direction is automatically
changed.

35
Water
Column:-
1) A water column is a device used for delivering a large volume of
water into tank.The device is sometimes also called a water crane.

2) As a steam locomotive consumes large quantities of water, water cranes were a

vital
part ofrailway station equipment.
3) They are kept at all main line tracks at a distance of not less than 50 Km.
4) Should not have any obstruction to traffic.
5) Foot valve is provided to regulate the water flow.
6) Height of water column is 442cm.
7) Projection of pipe is about 225 cm.
8) Often situated at the end of a platform.

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37
Ash
Pit:-
1) Ash pits are provided to collect the ashes from the
locomotives.
2) They are generally 1.067m deep and length is slightly more than the length of
locomotive. the

3) They rest on masonry or concrete walls and rails fixed on longitudinal beams
are
provided at the top of the walls.

38
Buffer Stop or
Bumper:-
1) Prevent railway vehicles from going past the end of a physical section of track.
2) The design of the buffer stop is dependent in part upon the kind of couplings that
the railway uses.

3) Consists of timber beam 30x13cm section of the level of buffer on vehicles, fixed to
the two vertical rail parts bolted to the track rails on other ends.

39
Fouling
Marks:-
1) Purpose is to avoid side collision between two trains on adjacent track. (in between

diverging/converging tracking )

2) It should be fixed at the point where the spacing between the tracks begins to
reduce
to less than the minimum as specified in schedule of dimension.(i.e. 4.27 Meter
track
centre normally)
3) They are made up of stone or concrete blocks and painted in black and white

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Examination
Pits:-
1. Similar to ash pits but they are used to examine the engines from
underneath.
2. These pits are generally longer and deeper than the ash-pits.
3. Provided in locomotive yards.

Traversers :-
1) Used to shift the position of the vehicles or locomotives sideways.
2) They provide an arrangement of transferring engines and vehicles from one track
to
a parallel track.
3) Traversers are preferred to turnouts, cross-overs, etc.
4) It consists of a platform mounted on rollers.
5) Vehicle to be shifted is placed on the traverser and then the traverser is 52
sideways and adjusted to the parallel track where the vehicle is to be
moved
Derailing
Switch:-
1) Ordinary point switch.
2) The switch is open in the normal position and is generally provided near the dead end
of the siding.

3) Any vehicle passing over it shall be derailed because of break of continuity of rails.

Drop Pit:-
 constructed at right angle to the track to examine and repair or to replace the old
wheels by new ones.
 In these pits the wheels of the locomotives are lowered and the wheels and axles
are taken out with the help of different kinds of jacks

5
3
Scotch
Block:-
1) It consists of a block of wood placed on the rail and suitably held and locked in

position.
2) It forms an obstruction to the passage of vehicles and hence it prevents the escape
of vehicle beyond the dead end of the siding.

43
Weigh
Bridge:-
1) These are level platforms with rails and are connected to the maintrack.
2) The beam rests on the knife edge and attached to the lever to which loaded
wagons come to the siding to the weigh bridge is fixed.

3) The lever mechanism is activated and weight is indicated.

44
Signaling
:1) A system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent
trains from
colliding.

2) Consists of the devices and arrangements by which trains are operated

efficiently
and tracks are used to maximum extent, maintaining the safety of the
passengers,
the staff and the rolling stock.
3) It includes the use and working of signals, points, block instruments and other
equipments.

45
Objective of
Signaling:-
1) To provide facilities for the efficient moving of trains.
2) To ensure safety between two or more trains which cross or approach each other's
path.

3) To provide facilities for the maximum utility of the track.

4) To provide facilities for safe and efficient shunting operations.
5) To guide the trains movement during maintenance and the repairs of thetrack.
6) To safeguard the trains at converging junctions and give directional indications of
diverging junctions.

Types of Signal:-
1) According to function.
2) According to location.
3) Special signals.

46
Classification according to
function:
a) Stop signals or semaphore type
signals

b) Warner signals

c) Disc or ground signals

d) Coloured light signals

47
Stop Signals or Semaphore Type
Signals:-
 One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore.
 These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the
angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'.

 The stop position is the normal position and it is said to be ON position.

 The arm can be lowered at an angle of 400 to 600 with horizontal and is said to be
OFF position.

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Warner
Signals:-
 The warner signal is similar to semaphore signal in shape except a v-notch at free
end, ie. The movable arm is fish tailed as shown.

 The white band is also of v-shape.

 The warner signal is placed on the same post of the semaphore signal 1.8 to 2.1m
below the semaphore signal.
 The warner signal is painted yellow and exhibits yellow or amber colour at
night instead of red colour.

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Shunting Signal:- Disc
Signal
1) These signals are used for shunting operations in station yards.
2) They are of the shape of a circular disc with a red band on a white back ground.
3) The disc can revolve in a vertical plane by pulling the lever by hand.
4) Two holes are provided, one for red lamp and the other for the greenlamp.
5) When the red band is horizontal or shows red light at night it indicates - STOP
6) When red band is inclined at 450 or shown green light at night indicates -
PROCEED

50
Colour Light
Signal:-
1) Semaphore signals are being replaced by high intensity beam colour light signals
both during day and night.

2) the normal position, it indicate –PROCEED (ie. shows green light)

3) When the section is blocked, it indicates – STOP OR DANGER( shows red light)
4) In India these signals are used on urban and sub-urban sections with heavy traffic.

51
Types of Signal According to
Location:-
(i)Reception
signals (a)Outer
signal (b)Home
(ii) Departure signals
signal
(a)Starter
(b)Advance
Starter

52
Outer
Signal:-
1) This is the first stop signal which indicates the entry of the train from block to the

station yard.

2) It should be placed at an adequate distance (0.54 km for BG and 0.4 km for MG)
3) It has one arm but may have a warner signal on the same post nearly 2m below it.
4) In the Stop position the driver must bring his train to astop at a distance of
about 90m before the outer signal and then proceed to the home signal with
caution.

5) If it is in the Proceed position then the driver can take the train at speed, assuming
that home signal is also in the proceed position.

53
Home
Signal:-
1) Due to its location at the door of station, it is termed as Home signal.
2) The home signal has bracketed arms to indicate which line is to be
used.
3) The function of home signal is to protect the sidings already occupied.
4) It is located at not more than 180m from the start of points of
switches.
5) Home signals carry as many arms as the number of diverging lines.

54
Starter
Signal:-
1) It marks the limit up to which trains stopping at a station should come to a stand.

2) The starter is the last stop signal at a station.

3) It controls the movements of the trains when they depart from the stations.
4) No train can leave the station unless the starter signal shows the –
PROCEED
position (ie. inclined position)

55
Advance Starter
Signal:-
1) Besides the starter signal for each of the station lines from which trains starts, an

advance starter may also be provided.

2) The advance starter becomes the last stop signal at the stations where is
provided.
3) It is an indication for the train having left the station.

56
Special
Signal:-
1) Repeater or Co-acting signal:
 When the drivers vision is obstructed by an over bridge between the signals, a
signal is provided with a duplicate arm of smaller size at a suitable position which
repeats the indication of signal head. It is therefore termed as Repeater signal.

 This signal is linked with the main signal and therefore, when the lever is pulled
both signals are lowered simultaneously. Also called as ―Co-acting signal.

57
2) Routing
Signal:
 When various signals for main and branch lines are fixed on the same vertical post,

they are known as routing signals.

 Generally the signal for the main line is kept at higher level than that for branch
line.

58
3) Calling-on
Signal:
 These consist of small and short arms fixed on the same post below main
signals.
 A calling-on signal permits a train to proceed cautiously after the train has
been brought to a halt by the main signal.

 This signals are helpful when repair works are going on.

59
4)Miscellaneous
Signal:
 Various other devices are used for indicating signals.
 Signals are meant for goods sidings are distinguished by providing rings or writing
capital letter etc.,

 Two crossed bars are put up on the signal which is under repair and it is placed in
ON position.

60
Control of Movement of
Train:-
It is quite essential that movements of trains on tracks should be safe.
The various systems of controlling the movement of trains are as
follows:-
1) One Engine Only
2) Follow Train or Time Interval System
3) Pilot Guard
4) Train staff & Ticket
5) Absolute Block or Space Interval System
6) Automatic Block or AutomaticSignalling
7) Centralizing Traffic Control
8) Automatic Train Control

61
Automatic Train Control System:-
ATC
1) Devices used in ATC system help the engine driver to observe visual signals and in
case of his failure , it reduces speed automatically to stop the train.

2) Devices are two types: Cab signaling & Automatic Stopping Devices.
3) In cab signaling, a variable electric current passing through the running rail is
picked
up by the locomotive & translated into color light signal in the cab of locomotive.
4) In Automatic, train control by mechanical or electrical devices which either bring the
train to stop automatically if the signal are not observed by the driver or reduces
speed initially and if driver does not respond, then it stops the trainautomatically.

62
Absolute Block System
:- The principle of the absolute block
1) system of railway signaling is to ensure the
safe operation of a railway by allowing only one train to occupy a defined section of
track at a time.
2) Instead of a fixed interval of time between successive trains, a varying interval may
be kept depending on the time, actually taken by particular trains.

3) It is a space interval system rather than a fixed interval system.

4) The line is assumed to be blocked until the fact that the line is clear is established
by some suitable information conveyed by block instruments.
5) The electric telegraph provided the ability for signalmen to communicate with each
other and provided the basis for the absolute block system.

63
Pilot Guard
System:-
1) Used on certain occasions such as breakdown of telephone and
telegraph system.
2) A pilot proceeds by one train to the station ahead and then he returns by a
train running in the opposite direction.

64
Centralized Traffic Control
(CTC):-
1) It is a form of railway signaling that originated in North America.
2) Train movements are decided by signals only, which are controlled over
a considerable length of track from a control room.

3) Such a centralized control has been made possible

through the provision of
interlocking between switches and signals in the field instead of the levers in
cabin.

4) Movements of all trains is traced on an illuminated diagram in the centralized

train
control room known as traffic panel which also shows relative positionof signals.

65
Interlocking:-
1) The technique achieved through mechanical or electrical agencies for the
mutual locking between the levers of switches and the signals is called
Interlocking.
2) An arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting
movements at junction or crossing or complex yards or sidings.
3) Mechanical connections established between various levers operating
the signals and points in such a way that working of signal mechanism
may not go contrary to the desired purpose.
4) To avoid the possibilities of confusion & danger of pulling wrong
signals and thus to prevent conflicting movements of train which can
lead to serious accidents.
5) An interlocking provides for complex train movements and shunting of
trains.
6) It provides for the protection of multiple train movements within a localised
66
area.
What is interlocking?
• As per Indian railway interlocking is
defined as “ An arrangement of signal,
points and other appliances so
interconnected by mechanical locking or
electrical locking or both that they can
operated in a predetermined sequence
to ensure that there is no conflicting
movement of signals and points and train
can run safely”
..
 Essentials of interlocking
• Must be impossible to operate the points
while the train moving on it.
• It must be impossible to take OFF a signal for
approaching train unless the route to which
train taking is properly set, locked and held.
• Points should be interlocked as to avoid any
conflicting movement.
• It should not be possible to turn any two
signal off at the same time, as this can lead to
conflicting movement of trains.
..
 Essentials of interlocking
• Line should be fully isolated before the signal
is turned off- no loose wagon enter on the line

• MODERN SIGNALLING INSTALLATION

• ROUTE RELAY INTERLOCKING
• CENTRALIZED TRAIN CONTROL
• PANEL INTERLOCKING
• AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM

..
Interlocking:-
 Levers are located at ground level or platform level or in an elevated structure
called signal box or signal cabin.

 The levers are painted for easy identification.

 Devices used: Detectors, Point Lock, Lock Bar, Compensator,

etc.

 There are three methods ofinterlocking

1) Tappets and lock system
2) Key system
3) Route relay system.

70