What are the components of a track?

We often take trains, have you ever considered what the tracks that support trains are made of? Railway accessories manufacturers introduce that tracks consist of track beds, sleepers, rails, connecting parts, anti-climbing equipment, and switches.

1.Rails. Rails are structures on which train wheels roll. Their main functions are as follows: to withstand the weight and wear of the wheels. Press the wheels firmly onto the sleepers beneath the scattered rails. Withstand repeated stress. Regardless of the rail weight, the section mass ratio should be approximately 42% at the head, 21% at the waist, and 37% at the bottom. Additionally, the height of the rail should be equal to the width of the bottom. When the wear of the rail head reaches 0.64 cm, the rail needs to be replaced immediately.

2. Railroad spikes. The function of railway spikes is to fasten the rails to the sleepers and maintain a fixed gauge between the two rails. Commonly used railway spikes include ordinary spikes, hook spikes, and spiral spikes.

3. Track the connection parts. Rail connecting parts are designed to maintain the strength and stiffness of the joints, ensuring that the rails have consistent elasticity. Generally, two fishplates are attached to the sides of the rail's waist, and bolts with spring washers are tightened. In order to address the limitations of track connection parts, modern rails utilize continuous welding to replace rail joints with continuously welded rails. This not only reduces the need for track maintenance but also increases the overall service life of the rails. Long-welded rails are a type of rail system.

4. Rail support. It is used to support the waist on the outside of the rail, resisting the lateral force on the rail head and preventing the road spikes from loosening due to the rail tilt.

5. Fasteners. The metal clip or handle embedded in the sleeper buckles the bottom of the rail. In addition to resisting the vertical rolling and lateral thrust of the wheel, it can also prevent the rail from crawling longitudinally.

6. Anti-climbing equipment. Installed under the rail, with one side against the sleeper (and pad), it not only prevents the rail from crawling longitudinally due to wheel rolling, but also controls the extension of the rail due to temperature rise.