Railway Engineering (CEng5242)

By Fantahun A. (MSc. CEng)

Construction industry practitioner,
Lecturer at school of civil and water resource engineering,
Gondar institute of technology, University of Gondar.
e-mail: papyfan@gmail.com
 Course outline(CEng 5242)
2

CH-1: Basics of railway engineering

CH-2: Railway line and subgrade

CH-3: Railway track structure

CH-4: Railway station

CH-5: Switches and turnouts

CH-6: Introduction to tunnels and bridges

CH-7: Organization of train operation
3

Chapter one
Basics of railway engineering
 Outline
4

Railway transportation system

Historical development of railway

Components of railway

General principles for railway construction and

development.

Railway classification and main technical standards

Railway signal communication and control

 1.1. Rail transportation system
5

Rail transport:
Refers to the land transport of people or goods along
guided paths called railways.
 The fundamentals of rail economics and
6
operations

Freight transport is typically competitive over mid to long

distances but it usually loses its attractiveness in shorter

journeys.

Rail requires high volumes to be feasible, and it is a

business of high volumes with low margins.

 …Cont.
7

Railway infrastructure is rigid, expensive and requires an

operating and maintaining.

The performance of the operator is highly dependent on

the conditions of the infrastructure and rolling stock.

Rail freight and rail passenger transportation are very

different businesses.
 …Cont.
8

Most rail projects around the world require high levels of

subsidy for the construction and/or operations to be
sustainable.

Including appropriate stakeholders in the concessionaire’s

shareholding improves project performance in the case of
PPPs
 Merits of rail transport
9

high level of passenger or cargo utilization over a limited

space
Most efficient energy consumer (1/3 of road transport
and 1/7 to 1/5 of air transport)
Environmentally friendly
Safest mode of land transport with the lowest accident
rate
It offers comfortable ride options such as meal, sleeping
and entertainment
 Demerits of rail transport
10

Huge initial investment and operation costs

Cannot support severe alignments such as steep slopes and

sharp curves

Low flexibility in terms of network operations

Severity of accidents is high (but low frequency)

Security threat as it is prone to attacks

 1.2. Historic development of railway
11

1. In medieval times
people mostly travelled by foot or horseback and any
form of transportation was mainly for moving goods.

2. in the seventeenth and eighteenth century

The first railways were laid down for horse drawn trains of
wagons in collieries and quarries.
 …Cont.
12

3. As the Industrial Revolution progressed

The idea was developed further by adding cast iron or

wrought iron plates to reduce wear on the wooden baulks.

This evolved further to iron edge rails enabling the use of

flanged wheels for the first time.

 …Cont.
13

4. In the early nineteenth century

Steam locomotives came on the scene

Wrought iron rails and later steel rails were developed

which were strong enough to support these heavy axle
loads without assistance from longitudinal timbers.

First underground railway opened in London

 …Cont.
14

5. Post WWII

Welded rail, heavier rail-profiles, slab track,

innovative elastic fastenings, mechanization of

maintenance
 …Cont.
15

Electricity propelled
1879 First electric railway demonstrated at the Berlin Trades
Fair
1890 First electric London Underground railway
Diesel locomotives
1913 First diesel powered railcar enters service in Sweden
Diesel -Electric locomotive
1924 First diesel-electric locomotive built in Soviet Union

Dominant type of locomotive in the world today

 Rail transport in Africa
16

In the early 20th century

European colonial powers built railway lines to support
military movements and
to transport goods produced in the large mining or
farming operations.
After the continent achieved independence,
railway networks were broken up according to the new
national borders, thus
in some cases reducing their markets and economies of
scale.
 Locomotive in Cameroon
17

Source: Advanced Logistics Group (ALG)

Drivers of railways potential in Africa
. Increase in transport
1. New demand for
18
demand due to the African transportation and better
economic growth infrastructure

2. Increase in global supply Need for better and more

chains competitiveness integrated logistics

3. Increase in number and Need to provide new

size of African large urban mass transport
metropolitan cities systems
 …Cont.
19

 4. New mining Need to build high

capacity infrastructures
developments producing
capable to handle mining
high volumes
bulk volumes

5. Existence of landlocked Need to provide access to

countries with poor the sea with capacity and
connectivity to sea ports reliability
 Railway development in Ethiopia
20

Over 100 years old diesel railway (781 km): 1000mm gauge

781km – (681 in Ethiopia and 100 in Djibouti)

owned jointly with the Government of Djibouti

operated by CDE (Chemin de fur Djibouti Ethiopien)

Almost abandoned due to its age, deterioration and

malfunctioning

It was major Service Provider for passenger and freight

transport to the Eastern Ethiopia
 Addis-Djibouti railway
21

.
 …Cont.
22

.
 ERC
23

Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) was established in

2007 by Regulation No. 141/2007 to:

Develop railway infrastructure

Provide freight and passenger railway transport services

&

Engage in other related activities necessary for the

attainment of its purpose.
 Ethiopian national railway program[ENRP]
24

.
 …Cont.
25

Route 1- Addis Ababa (Sebeta) – Mojo – Awash – Dire Dawa –

Djibouti – Railway =656km
Route 2 – Mojo – Shashemene (Awasa) – Konso – Woyito –
Including Konso – Moyale Railway = 905km.
Route 3 - Addis Ababa – Ejaji – Jimma – Guraferda – Dima –
Directed to Boma Railway = 637km
Route 4 – Ejaji – Nekemt – Asossa – Kurmuk Railway – 460km
Route 5 – Awash – Kombolcha – Mekele – Shire Railway =
757km
Route 6 – Fenoteselam – Bahirdar – wereta – Woldeya – Mile –
Djibouti Railway =796km
Route 7 - Woreta – Azezo – Metema Railway =244km
Route 8 – Adama – Indeto – Gasera Railway = 244km
 ENRP
26

5000 km of national railway line

Standard Gauge (1435 mm)
Electric Traction
High capacity (25 ton/axle)
High speed (120 -160 km/hr for passenger and
80 -120 km/hr for freight)
Concrete sleeper (160cm X20.5cmX22cm)
 Light rail transit ( LRT)
27

Light rail transit (LRT) system is:

a mass transport system that uses rail-based technology
typically operates in urban.

Vehicles are usually relatively lightweight,

run on steel rails and

driven by overhead electrical wires

 Addis Ababa LRT
28

34km of Fully electrified LRT for Addis Ababa

Standard Gauge (1.435 meters) and double track for the
whole route
Capacity: 80,000 PPH (Passenger/hr)
Headway: 6min with a potential of reducing to 90secs
Passenger-km based fare system
A total of 39 rail stations are available for the two lots (E-
W and N-S)
 Daily public transit passenger volumes by
modes before LRT
29

.
 N-S, E-W Rail tracks and their Rail
30
Stations
.
 1.3 Components of Railway
Permanent Infrastructure

Power Supply
Rolling Stock

Signal and Communication

 Major components…

Alignment
Track
Tunnel
Bridge

Station

Earth Work
 1.4 General principle for railway
construction and development
Generally, Rail infrastructure development is dependent on:

the strategies of national economy and social development

demands of territorial development,

national defense

transport market etc

 …Cont.
34

The planning phase shall also be aimed:

To highlight key points and strengthen weak links,

To facilitate coordinated development with other

traffic and transport modes and relevant industries

such as energy industry.

 …Cont.
35

Preliminary engineering studies must be undertaken

including:
Economic analysis

Financial analysis

SWOT analysis

Environmental impact assessment etc.

It is based on the principle of using optimized system to
maximize comprehensive benefit.
1.5. Railway Classification & Main Technical
Standards
Railway is classified according to:
its role in railway network,

properties,

volume of passenger traffic,

goods traffic volume,

maximum allowable axle load,

design speed, etc.
a. Axle load of rolling stock

Axle load is one of major basis to determine the design

load standard.

Axle load of locomotives affect the power of locomotive,

and car’s axle load affect the train’s load per meter.

The bridge load and track type is controlled by car’s

axle loads.
 b. maximum speed

The maximum speed is one of the most important markers

of railway transportation quality.
It affects the travelling time of passenger and freight
trains, traffic capacity and the using condition of rolling
stock.
It also affect construction cost, expenditure for buying
rolling stock, locomotive energy consumption ，
transportation cost, etc.
 …Cont.
The running speed is limited by:
The power of locomotive,

The standards of alignment and track,

level of signal facilities,

Method of traffic control,

Traffic organization, etc.

 …Cont.
40

The Maximum speed is the major technical parameter to

determine:

Radius of horizontal & vertical curves

length of transition curve

The type of track.

c. Annual Volume of Passenger and Goods
traffic
it is the main base for:
Designing transport capacity

evaluation of economic effectiveness

Determination of route alternatives
It also affects:
Affect the track-train interaction, Track deformation,
Residual life of structures.
 China’s classification
In china, railways are classified in to three:

1. Railway line for passenger traffic

2. Railway line for mixed passenger and freight traffic

3. Line for goods traffic

 1. Railway line for passenger traffic

With design speed of passenger car not less than

200km/h. Further classified as:
a. High-speed railway :
 with maximum design speed of 250km/h and over
 play trunk parts in railway network
 built in a developing region where is densely populated
and
 has a heavy volume of passenger traffic.
 …Cont.
b. Rapid -speed railway
 play a linking and auxiliary part in railway network for
passenger traffic,

 with designed speed of 250km/h or lower.

 also classified as rapid-speed trunk line for passenger

traffic or inter-city line
 2. Railway line for mixed passenger and
freight traffic
With design speed of 160km/h or lower (passenger train)
and 120km/h (fright train).

Railways for mixed passenger and fright traffic can be

classified from ClassⅠupto Ⅳ.

Class I Railway:

Play a trunk part in railway network, and

volume of short-term traffic is no less than 20 million tons.
 …Cont.
ClassⅡRailway:
Play a linking and auxiliary part in railway network, and

the volume of short-term traffic is less than 20 million tons.

ClassⅢ Railway:

Give service to a local zone, and

the volume of short-term traffic is less than 20 million tons

and larger than 5 million tons.
 …Cont.

ClassⅣ Railway:

Give service to a local zone, and

the volume of short-term traffic is less than 5 million tons.

 Items of Main technical standards
48

Railway technical standards are broadly classified into:

compulsory standards
which stipulate safety and so forth;
design standards which complement the compulsory
standards;
Optional standards
which aim at the enhancement of production efficiency,
elimination of trade barriers, and so forth.
 Why railway technical standards?
49

a. Ensuring of safety: To secure railway safety,

Adequate education and training of personnel is necessary

together with

Proper handling of train operation.

It is also essential to ensure and maintain safe structure of

facilities and rolling stock.

 …Cont.
50

b. Maintaining of railway network and ensuring of railway

transport characteristics
enables through operation in the entire country or within
large cities.

items for ensuring the advantageous railway

characteristics (curve radius, cant, steepest gradient,
construction gauge, etc.) are stipulated.
 …Cont.
51

c. Ensuring of convenience for users: In the railway technical

standards items concerning;

station facilities,

transfer facilities,

passenger cabin structure and

so forth are stipulated for ensuring convenience for

railway users.
 …Cont.
52

d. Environmental countermeasures
Although the railway is an environment-friendly means of
transport,
noise countermeasures for residents along its routes are
necessary.
In the railway technical standards, therefore, such items as
the adoption of track structure and rolling stock structure
for noise reduction are stipulated
 …Cont.
53

e. Reduction of production cost: Regarding the railway

facilities and rolling stock,
it is effective to unify their production methods, test
methods, dimensions, structure and so forth,

However, since these items should not be stipulated as

compulsory standards by the national government,

it is advisable for a federation of the enterprises

concerned.
1. 5 Railway Signals, Communication and
control
 1.5.1Railway communication
Method of transmission:
cable and wireless communication.
Service area:
toll communication; area communication, section
communication, station communication.
Service nature:
public communication, private communication and data
transmission.
 …Cont.
Railway private communication system consists of:
1.Train dispatching telephone
a kind of wired phone, which is used to communicate
between dispatchers and station attendants.

2. train dispatching radio phone

can be used as the communication tool between train

dispatchers, locomotive dispatchers, station attendants or
others and the driver.
 …Cont.

Wireless dispatching telephone in a station train dispatching radio phone

 …Cont.
3. Wireless dispatching telephone in a station

used by dispatchers, hump attendants or other

commanders to communicate to the shunting
locomotive driver.
 …Cont.
4. Other railway private communication equipments
Private telecom system
Railway local telephone

Long distance telephone and telegraph within railway

administration and mail lines

Train out report telegraph and telephone

Railway station communication system
1.5.2 Railway signaling & control system

Signaling consists of the systems, devices and means by

which trains are operated efficiently .
It includes the use and working of signals, points, block
instruments and other equipments
Signals have aspects and indication
Aspect is the visual appearance of the signal
Indication is the meaning
 Objectives of signaling
Objectives of providing & operating signals:
To provide facilities for the efficient movement of trains

To ensure safety between two or more trains

To provide facilities for the maximum utility of track

To provide facilities for safe and efficient shunting

operations

To guide the trains movement during maintenance and

repair of tracks
 …Cont.
Signals can be placed:
At the start of a section of track
On the approach to a movable item of infrastructure,
such as switches or a swing bridge
In advance of other signals
On the approach to a level crossing
Ahead of platforms or other places that trains are likely
to be stopped
 Signal equipments introduction

Railway signal equipments are the key facilities to:

Organize and command train operation,

ensure safety,

enhance the transport efficiency,

transfer information,
improve working conditions of driving personnel .
 Signal machine
Signal and signal reapter say a signal that used to
command train operation and shunting homework.

Signal
reapter
 Switch machine
used to complete the conversion and locking of switch.
ZD6 seriess are used for the existing line
S700K are used for speeding track line
 Track circuit
The track circuit is used to monitor the occupancy of the
train and transfer the traffic information.
 Signal relay
Signal relay is not only the key component of various
relay control system but also the interface unit of
electronic or computer control system
 The basic color of the visual signal

Red - stop。

Yellow - Noting and reducing speed

Green- driving at the required speed

Bluish ?-white calling-on signal or permitting shunting signal

Blue - permissive signal or prohibiting shunting signal

…Cont.
 Home signal
Function：
Protecting stations, indicating the train operating
conditions to ensure the receiving route safe and reliable.
The entrance of the station must be fitted with home signal
…Cont.
…Cont.
 Through signal
Function：
protecting block section, Indicating the train can enter the
next block section.

8 6 4 2

8G 6G 4G

10 8 6 4 2

10G 8G 6G 4G
 Departure signal
Function ：
Indicating the train can enter the section or not, and the
parking place.
 Departure
route

section
section station

Fouling point
 Shunting signal
function： Indicates the various shunting operation, be
Installed in interlocking yard with shunting operation
Single shunting signal

Double shunting signal

Difference shunting signal

Stub-end shunting signal

 …Cont.

Double Single

Stub-end

difference
Cab signal
…Cont.
…Cont.
 Control of movement of trains

One of the basic objectives of signaling is to control the

movement of trains with a view to ensure safety by
preventing accidents

To achieve this goal, a particular system of working should

be adopted keeping in view three important aspects i.e
safety, speed and traffic density of operation
 System types
Various systems of controlling the movement of trains are:
one –engine only system
Following train/time interval system
Pilot guard system
Train staff & ticket system
Absolute block system
Automatic block system
C.T.C system
A.T.C system
83

End of the chapter!!!

I thank you