Chapter 1: Introduction to Railway Engineering

Section A
1. Define the terms Railway Transportation and Railway Engineering.
Ans:
Railway Transportation: The transportation of men and material with the help of railways is known as
railway transportation. Railways tracks are made for providing facilities of transportation.
Railway Engineering: It is the branch of engineering which deals with the design, construction and
maintenance of railway tracks is referred as railway engineering.
2. Name the different modes of transportation.
Ans: The different modes of transportation are:
a. Railways
b. Road Transport
c. Air Transport
d. Water ways
e. Seaways
3. What are the advantages of Railways?
Ans. Following are the advantages of railways:

Railways have united the people of different castes, religions, customs and traditions and thus
strengthen national unity.

Railways help in the mass migration of the population.

Railways provide a convenient and safe means of transport for the country.

Railway provides employment to millions of people and thus helps in solving the
unemployment problems.

4. Give the specification of Main Lines given by Railway Board.

Ans: The specification laid down by Railway Board for main lines are given in table.
S.No.

Items

B.G

M.G

1.

Design speed for new tracks

120 km/hr

75 km/hr

2.

Maximum permissible speed

100 km/hr

75 km/hr

3.

Tracks relaying period

20 years

30

4.

GMT/Annum

10

2.5

5.

Rail section

52 kg/m

37.2 kg/m

Length

length

5. What do you mean by Elevated System of Railways?

Ans: Elevated Railways: Those railways provided at elevated portion above the ground surface. In this
system of railways, the track is laid on the deck of a continuous viaduct which is supported on pier or
columns. The railways are suitable in the heavily congested urban areas where the underground railways
cannot be constructed. The metro rail which is under construction in Delhi is an example of Elevated
railways
6. Discuss the importance of railways as a transport system in social development of country.
Ans:
a. The feeling of isolation has been removed from the inhabitants of the Indian villages.
b. By travelling together into the compartment without any restriction of caste, the feeling of caste
difference has disappeared considerably.
c. The social outlook of the masses has been broadened through railway journey.
7. How Indian Railway system is divided into zones?
Ans: The entire Indian Railway system has been divided into nine zonal railways having different territorial
jurisdictions. It has recently been decided for better administration and management of Indian Railways to
setup following six zones:
1. East Coast
2. East Central
3. North Central
4. North Western
5. South Western
6. West Central
8. Name the different system of railways.
Ans: The following four systems of Railways are available
1. Surface Railways
2. Underground Railways
3. Tube Railways
4. Elevated Railways
9. What is the difference between Trunk Routes and Main Lines?

Ans:
Trunk Routes: The specifications for trunk routes have been specified by the Indian Railways for Broad
Gauge and Medium Gauge Trunks. Six routes on broad gauge and medium gauge are referred as trunk
routes.
Main Lines: Indian railways have classified all lines other than trunk routes as main lines which carry 10
gross million tonnes per annum (GMT) or more for BG and 2.5 GMT or more for MG.
10. Write the full form of the following:
RITES, IRCON, IRFC, CONCOR
Ans:
RITES- Rail India Technical and Economic Services Ltd.
IRCON- Indian Railways Construction Company Ltd.
IRFC Indian Railways Finance Corporation
CONCO Container Corporation of India.
11. Why Uniformity of gauges is desirable in any country?

(Nov 2014)

Ans: The uniformity of gauges is desirable in any country due to the following reasons:
a. The delay, cost and hardship in transshipping passengers and goods from the vehicles of one gauge
to another is avoided.
b. As the transshipping is not required, there is no breakage of goods.
c. Difficulties in loading and unloading are avoided and labour expenses are saved.
d. Large sheds to store goods are not required.
e. Locomotives can be effectively used on all the tracks if a uniform type of gauge is adopted.
12. What are the different types of Gauges used on Indian Railways?
Ans: The different gauges prevalent in India are of the following:1. Broad Gauge (1676 mm): It is also known as standard gauge in India. When the clear horizontal
distance between the interfaces of two parallel rails forming a track is 1676mm, the broadest gauge
of the world.
2. Meter Gauge (1000 mm): When the clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of two
parallel rails forming a track is 1000 mm, the gauge is known as Meter Gauge.
3. Narrow Gauge (762 mm and 610 mm): When the clear horizontal distance between the inner faces
of two parallel rails forming a track is either 762 mm or 610 mm, the gauge is known as narrow
gauge. It is also known as Feeder gauge or light gauge.

Section B
1. Discuss the importance of railways as a transport system in a developing
country like India.
Ans: Page 5-6 (AP Singh)

2. Differentiate between Highways and Railways.

Ans:

S.No Items Of
Comparisons

Road
Flexible or rigid pavement

Railways

1.

Nature of Track

2.

Service
Commuters

3.

Transportation Cost

Economical for short distance Economical for long distance

because of saving in time and because of reduced operating
money in transit to and from the expenses
station

4.

Nature of Traffic

All types of traffic ranging from Track is reserved for the

pedestrian to heavy trucks use movement of scheduled trains only
the road

5.

Stress

The stresses are transmitted to Heavy

to Door delivery is possible

The track may be considerable as

beam on elastic foundation.
Generally delivery is at the rail
head

concentrated

loads

of

the sub-grade through pavement locomotives, wagons and coaches

and formation
come on the track and hence the
track should be very strong
6.

Speeds

Since the road is free for all Comparatively higher speeds can
kinds of traffic the speed has to be achieved because there is no
be restricted
obstruction on the track

7.

Cost of Construction

Comparatively less in terms of The rails have to be carefully laid

length of highway
and rigidly fixed at fixed distance
hence heavy cost of construction
and material

8.

Cost
Maintenance

Of Comparatively

9.

Change
track/highway

of Change from one highway to The lateral movement of train

another is done by Junction and wheels is restricted because of
Crossing
wheel flange fixed to the rails.
Movement from one track to
another is by special device known
as Points and Crossing

Even slight changes in distance

would result in derailment and
hence comparatively high cost if
maintenance

3. What do you mean by Track Capacity? Discuss the important measures to be taken to
increase the track capacity.
Ans: 3.2 -3.3 (Saxena)

4. What are the various factors governing the choice of different types of gauges on Indian
Railway track?
Ans: The following factors governs the choice among the different gauges:

1. Availability of funds: The selection of a particular gauge depends upon the available funds for the
railway projects. The construction of broad gauge requires more fund than the Meter or narrow
gauge due to following reasons:
-

Wider gauge requires more land width and hence land acquisition cost is more.

Volume of earthwork is more for wider gauge and hence land earthwork is more.

2. Volume Of nature of traffic: For heavier loads and high speed traffic, wider gauge are preferred.
Wider gauge have more load carrying capacity and hence the operating cost of trains per ton per
km run is less.
3. Future Development of the Area: Wider gauge are generally preferred in areas which have the
prospect of future development. Due to development of a particular area the intensity and nature of
traffic changes. Once a track is laid on an area it is not economical feasible to change the width of
the gauge frequently and hence wider gauge are provided in areas of future development. Narrow
gauge is used to develop thinly populated areas by joining poorly developed areas with developed
or urban areas.
4. Physical Features of The Country: In hilly regions where broad and meter gauge tracks are
difficult to lay due to steep gradient and sharp curves, narrow gauge are provided.

5. Speed of traffic: The speed of a train is almost proportional to the gauge. Speed is the function of
diameter of wheel and the diameter of wheel is limited by the gauge. Generally the wheel diameter
is 0.75 times that of a gauge. Hence for higher speed of traffic broad gauges are preferred.

Section C
1. Describe the achievements of Indian Railways through Five Year Plans.
Ans: 1.7 1.9 (SC Saxena)

2. Define Gauge of a railway track. Enumerate different gauges used in India and Abroad
and discuss their suitability at different locations with reasons.
3.3 3.5 Saxena

3. What are the strengths and weakness of Indian Railways? Enumerate

Strength of Indian Railways
The following are the strengths of the Indian Railways system.
(a) For a vast country with great distances and a large population, the railways have an
inherent advantage over other modes of transport in their suitability for movement of large
volumes of passenger and goods traffic over long distances.
(b) The movement of steel wheels on steel rails in the railway system has the basic
advantage of low rolling resistance, which reduces energy requirements and haulage
costs.
(c) Railways are more efficient than roadways in terms of land use.
(d) Railways are an energy-efficient mode of transport, particularly for freight traffic, and
can use different forms of energy. Railways also cause relatively less environmental
pollution than roadways.
(e) In densely populated urban centres, a rapid transit rail-based system is the most
appropriate mode of transport for suburban intra-urban travel, as part of a citys
integrated transport system.
(f) Indian Railways is a well-established organization with a large pool of skilled and
trained personnel.
(g) Being part of the Central Government, Indian Railways has the Governments financial
backing. At the same time, they have considerable financial autonomy.
(h) Indian Railways is a self-reliant system with respect to its major equipment needs.
Weaknesses of Indian Railways : The following are the weaknesses of the Indian
Railways system.
(a) A large portion of the railways infrastructure is overaged, and in urgent need of
replacement or rehabilitation. This includes track, motive power and rolling stock,
signalling, operational, and maintenance equipment.

(b) In certain parts of the infrastructure, the technology is 2025 years behind some of the
developed railway systems. Consequently the productivity levels are comparatively low.
(c) Indian Railways has a large force of unskilled manpower. The training facilities need
augmentation and modernization.
(d) A persistent resource constraint in the past has adversely affected the Railways
development.
(e) Indian Railways carries a substantial social burden in the form of continued operation
of un-remunerative branch lines, subsidies on passenger and suburban travel, and even
freight subsidy on certain commodities.
(f) In certain areas, pilferage and vandalism seriously affect operational efficiency.
(g) Railways are not suited for carriage of small quantities of freight particularly over short
distances.
(h) Heavy investments are needed to build up railway transport capacity and the
gestation periods are long.
(i) Transport capacity is volatile and cannot be recouped if not utilized continuously.