This document provides background information on railway engineering components used to connect and divert train tracks, including points, crossings, turnouts, and crossovers. It defines these terms and explains their purpose and basic functioning. Points (switch rails) and crossings (frogs) guide train wheels between parallel or diverging tracks. A turnout combines points, switches, and crossings to enable one track to branch off from another. Crossovers similarly connect two parallel tracks to allow trains to switch between them, but serve a different layout and function than turnouts. Diagrams and references are provided to further illustrate these components and how they operate.

1. Dr. Walied A. Elsaigh
welsaigh@ksu.edu.sa
Asst. Prof. of Civil Engineering
Rajab 1435H
CE 435
Railway Engineering
Points &
Crossings

2. Textbook
Page 16.1 -16.32

3. Background
Points, Crossings, Turnout, Crossovers
are special arrangements by which different routes either
parallel or diverging are connected to allow trains to move
from one to another.
Why needed? Train wheels got flanges
and the direction of movement and
diversions of the train to another track
are controlled these wheel flanges
Crossing (Frog) also known as V-Rail in
Australian, refers to the crossing point of
two rails.
Points (switch rails or point blades) are the
movable rails which guide the wheels towards
either the straight or the diverging track.
Tapered rails

4. Background
Turnout is the combination of points, switch and crossings which
enables one track either a branch or a siding, to take-off from
another track. Facilitates safe movement of trains in either directions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20080202-EMDX_AiguillageAnime.gif0How it operates?
Adapted from: http://www.railway-technical.com/track.shtml

5. Background
Switch consists of the pair of linked tapering rails, known as points,
lying between the diverging outer rails (stock rails). These points can
be moved laterally into one of two positions to direct a train coming
from the narrow end towards the straight path or the diverging path.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_switch#Types_of_switchesHow it operates?

7. Background
Crossovers is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks,
allowing a train on one track to crossover to the other track.
How different to turnout?
Different layout & function!!

8. Turnouts
[Parts]
Four lead rails.
Two check rails
Pair of stock rails
Vee crossing/Frog (GHIJ)
Pair of points - switch (ABCD &EFPQ).
Fittings, chairs, plates etc.
HW – find these turnout terminologies
Important Terms:
Facing direction
Trailing direction
Facing points of turnouts
Trailing points of turnouts
Right-Hand Turnouts
Left-Hand turnouts

9. Turnouts [Typical Proportions]

10. Crossing (Frog)

11. Thank You