USA_Army_Subcourse_Military_Train_TR0670_Railway_Track_Maintenance_1.pdf

SUBCOURSE

EDITION

TR0670

RAILWAY TRACK MAINTENANCE I

*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***

THE PASSING SCORE FOR ALL ACCP MATERIAL IS NOW 70%/

PLEASE DISREGARD ALL REFERENCES TO THE 75% REQUIREMENT.

CONTENTS

Paragraph

Page

INTRODUCTION1

CHAPTER 1.

FUNDAMENTALS OF RAIL-

WAY ENGINEERING........................................

1.1

ROADBED, BALLAST, AND

DRAINAGE.........................................................

2.1

Section

Roadbed and Ballast....................................

2.2

II.

Drainage .....................................................

2.9

CHAPTER 3. TRACK ELEMENTS................................................

3.1

Section

Rail..............................................................

3.2

II.

Crossties......................................................

3.12

III.

Track Fastenings..........................................

3.19

IV.

Rail Joints

................................................

3.24

APPENDIX

REFERENCES............................................

II.

GLOSSARY.................................................

INDEX...............................................................................................

iii

INTRODUCTION

Sixteen passenger cars stand behind a locomotive at North Philadelphia Station. It

is 7:29 a.m. and this is No. 4, the streamlined "Spirit of St. Louis, " just arrived from the

West. Standing poised and quiet for the moment, this symbol of power and speed

seems as alert as an excited racehorse awaiting the signal to start its sprint to

Manhattan Island.

Imagine yourself sitting in the engineer's seat in the cab of the 4938, the engine

ready to pull No. 4. Three vertical amber lights on the signal bridge

ahead show that the track is clear. Presently, two short blasts on

the signal tell you that the conductor is ready to roll. You

move the controller back a notch or two. Relays pop

behind you and ammeters reflect the current surging from

the locomotive's transformers to the traction motors. A

mighty 8,000 horsepower is ready to go to work. With a

throbbing hum, you glide forward, accelerating to operating speed.

Industries, suburbs, and farmlands spring into view and are quickly left behind. The

speedometer needle stays at a steady 80 miles per hour.

Ahead your attention is taken by the two shiny rails guiding you to your destination with

so little effort on your part. Track is often considered a supporting role in the cast of the,

railroad show--top billing goes to trains like the "Spirit of St. Louis. " But this show has no one

star, and most assuredly, track is not a subordinate. Track and roadbed are the foundation on

which railway operations take place. They are all-important to the business of railroading; they

demand and deserve much attention.

Now let the regular engineer take over the 4938, and turn your thoughts to the track for

awhile. On another track a westbound tonnage freight is crossing from one track to another so

that a Pittsburgh-bound train may pass it without either train stopping.

That's a simple maneuver that's so often taken for granted but one that depends on

switches for its execution. Above the clanking of steel tires against the frog points, you hear the

flanges squeal as the heavy freight cars swing over the switch points. After the speeding freight

has passed, a blast of compressed air slams the heavy switch

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