Robin StevensTeam Leader Track Design, Queensland Rail

Turnout Design and Components

AGENDA

• Turnout Terminology

• Geometric Designs

• Switch Types & Operation

• Crossings Types

• Check/Guardrail Types

Turnout Function

TurnoutPoints Assembly

Crossing Assembly

Guard Rails

Sleeper

Switches

Sliding Chair

Plates

Switch Stops

Stockrails

Points Components

Heel Block

Bearers

Closure Rails

Hand Of Turnouts

LEFT HAND

TURNOUT

RIGHT HAND

TURNOUT

Turnout

curves to

LEFT

Turnout

curves to

RIGHT

Switch Hand

Right hand

switch

Left hand

switch

• Turnouts are manufactured in :

68kg, 60kg, 53kg, 50kg, 47kg, 41kg, 31kg & 22kg Rail

• Queensland Rail standard Turnout range of angles includes:

60kg – 1 in 8.25, 9, 10, 12, 16 & 25

53kg – 1 in 8.25, 9, 10, 10.5 & 12

50kg – 1 in 8 & 12

47kg – 1 in 7, 7.5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14

41kg – 1 in 5 ,5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14

31kg – 1 in 5 ,5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14

• Grooved Rail Tram Turnouts :

GEOMETRIC DESIGNS

Geometric Designs

Standard Tangential

Standard Tangential

Toe of Switch (T.S.) - the thin end of the switch

Theoretical Point of Crossing (T.P.C.) - intersection of gauge lines at crossing

Heel of Switch (H.S.) - the switch end having full rail section

Radius (R) - radius of the centre line of main curve

radius (r) - radius of the turnout curve measured to the rail

Gauge (G) - gauge of track

Crossing Rate - rate of crossing, expressed as the side of a right angled triangle

Crossing Angle (A) - angle of crossing in degrees

Switch Angle (B) - angle between the switch gauge line and stock rail gauge line

Heel Centres (d) - the distance between gauge lines at the heel of the switch

Switch Length (S) - the length of the switch from heel to toe

Lead (L) - distance from toe of switch to T.P.C

Formulae :

Lead (L) = (G-d) cot {1/2 (A + B)} + S

Radius (r) = G-d

Cos B – Cos A

• Switch Length (S) = 5000 mm

• Crossing Rate (N) = 1 in 10

• Heel Centres (d) = 160 mm

• Thickness of Tip = 3 mm

1 IN 10 SIMPLE TURNOUT

3

• Gauge (G) = 1067 mm

• Crossing angle (A) = tan-1 1/N

= tan-1 1/10

= 5.710 deg

Crossing angle (A)

= tan-1 1/N

= tan-1 1/10

= 5.710 degrees

Switch angle (B)

= sin-1 d - thickness of switch tipS

= sin-1 160-35000

= 1.79 degrees

Lead (L)

= (G-d) Cot {1/2 (A + B)} + S

= (1067-160) Cot {1/2 (5.710+ 1.799)} + 5000

= 907 Cot 1/2 (7.509) + 5000

= 18 820 mm or 18.820 m

Radius (r) = G-d

Cos B - Cos A

= 907

0.9995068984 - 0.9950371902

= 202922 mm or 202.922 m

TANGENTIAL TURNOUT DESIGN

LN

RAD

IUS

RA

DIU

S

WK

GJ

G

90°

B

RADIAL LEAD

X

O

W

GA

UG

E A

M

B

C

HIGH SPEED TURNOUTS

Contra Flexure Turnout

Similar Flexure Turnout

Main

Turnout road

Main

Turnout road

Main

Turnout road

FLEXED SPECIAL TURNOUTS

CURVED TURNOUT ISSUES

• High lateral forces

• Increased switch wear

• Increased maintenance

• Higher potential for wheel climb

• Difficult to maintain geometry

10

STRAIGHT TURNOUT CURVED TURNOUT

Sleeper Layout – Fan Shaped

The fanned arrangement

of sleepers allows for non

handed concrete sleeper

sets

Sleeper Layout – Tangential

SWITCH TYPES

Standard Switch

Narrow machined point of 3mm protrudes into gauge

No machining on the stockrail

The switch rail is machined and vertically set to override the foot of the stockrail

Manganese Tipped Switch

High wear resistance

Increased hardness which use

interchangeable switch tip

Applications of 47 to 68kg rail

Undercut Switch

Point of switch is 3mm but is protected by undercut stockrail

The stockrail has undercut machining on the gauge side of the head

The stockrail foot is machined to allow the switch to close (not overriding)

Asymmetric Switches

Thick Web Switches

39, revesby, 30, Down

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

-100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

RailMate

Template

worn pass

Vert Horiz

Stockrail, Switch & Wheel interaction

Section at toe of switch

47, revesby, 2400, Down

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

-100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

RailMate

Template

worn pass

Vert Horiz

Stockrail, Switch & Wheel interaction

Section at 10mm switch thickness

51, revesby, 3900, Down

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

-100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

RailMate

Template

worn pass

Vert Horiz

Stockrail, Switch & Wheel interaction

Section at 20mm switch thickness

54, revesby, 4800, Down

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

-100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

RailMate

Template

new pass

Vert Horiz

Stockrail, Switch & Wheel interaction

Section at 30mm switch thickness

PIVOT POINT,

GAP IN RAIL

SWITCH LENGTH

LESS THAN 6m

Pivot Heel Switches

CONTINUOUS RAIL,

NOT GAP

SWITCH LENGTH

7m TO 25m

Fixed Heel Switches

Switch Rollers

WESTINGHOUSE

M23A MACHINE

WESTINGHOUSE

T84M MACHINE

SIEMENS S700

MACHINE

Electric Operation

DETECTION HYDRAULIC

CYLINDER

Hydraulic Operation

Pneumatic Operation

DETECTIONPNEUMATIC

CYLINDER

In-sleeper Operation

Mechanical Operation

MECHANICAL

LINKAGE

CONNECTED

TO LEVER

FRAME

Trailable Operation

Manual Operation

CROSSING TYPES

Fixed crossing types:

• Fabricated crossings.

• Rail Bound Manganese crossings.

• Compound crossings

• Fully cast Monoblock crossings

Point rail

Splice rail

Wing rails

rail

Chocks

Left hand crossing

Fabricated Crossing

FEATURES

• Available in rail sizes form 20 to 68kg

• Fabricated from rail steel & cast iron blocks

• Maximum recommended axle load capacity 20 tonne

• Maximum recommended mainline speed 80km

• Light duty applications and yards

Welded Heel RBM Crossing RBM Crossing

FEATURES

• Recommended axle

load capacity 30 tonne

• Recommended

mainline speed 120km

• Suitable for

suburban, freight and

heavy haul lines

Manganese Crossing Nose

Stainless Steel Insert

Compound Crossings (MN Nose)

Rail Steel

Manganese Noses

Monoblock Crossing

Base And Top Face

Full Machined

Flash Butt Weld to Standard Rail profiles

Explosive Depth

Hardened Transition

Faces

Cast Manganese

Section

Conventional Thermit

Welding to Adjoining Track

FEATURES

Recommended axle

load capacity 30

tonne.

Recommended

mainline speed 120km.

Solid one piece

manganese casting

with no blocks or

fasteners.

Nose Cross Sections

50

40

30

20

10

0

-110 -100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

Crossing Nose & Wheel Transfer

Crossing Nose & Wheel Transfer

50

40

30

20

10

0

Switchable crossings types:

• Swing Nose crossings.

• Spring Wing crossings.

Swing Nose Crossings

FEATURES

• Recommended axle load

capacity 40 tonne

• Maximum mainline speed

160km

• Suitable for suburban, freight

and heavy haul lines

• Continuous wheel contact

with minimal impacts

Manganese Spring Wing Crossing

• Designed for

predominate mainline

operation.

• Provides continuous

contact of wheel and

rail.

• Maximum mainline

speed of 120m/h.

• Maximum turnout

speed of 25m/h.

GUARDRAIL TYPES

Check / Guard Rails

•Purpose is to guard the wheels when

traversing a fixed nose crossing

•Needs to be correctly adjusted to prevent

premature damage to the crossing nose

Effective Guard Rail Gauge

CrossingGuard Rails

Standard Guard Rail

• Manufactured from conventional rail section

• Difficult to adjust due to fastening method to stockrail

Elevated Guard Rail

• Manufactured from specialised rolled

section (UIC33)

• Independent from stockrail allowing

for easy adjustment or replacement

Questions

Turnout design can only improve !