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Railway engineering
Railway engineering
Railway engineering
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Railway engineering is the discipline of engineering which concerns the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of railways and rail transportation systems. It includes a wide range of engineering disciplines, including (but not limited to) civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and production engineering.

History

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In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the first railways were built for the horse-drawn trains of wagons in collieries and quarries, with the first materials consisting of stone slabs and timber baulks. However, the rails were weary with carrying heavier loads.[1]

During the Industrial Revolution, cast iron were added to the railway tracks to reduce the wear on the wooden baulks, which evolved further into iron edge rails, which enabled to flanged wheels' utility.[1]

In the early nineteenth century, as the locomotives came into the picture, wrought iron rails and steel rails developed to support heavy axle loads without longitudinal timbers. With the advent of the railway, a need arose for specialized engineers capable of dealing with the unique problems associated with railway engineering. As the railways expanded and became a major part in logistics, more engineers became involved in the field, probably the most notable in Britain being Richard Trevithick, George Stephenson and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.[2]

Subfields

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Professional organisations

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  • In Australia and New Zealand: The Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA)[3]
  • In the UK: The Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
  • In the US: The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)
  • In the Philippines: Philippine Railway Engineers' Association, (PREA) Inc.
  • Worldwide: The Institute of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE)

See also

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Glossary

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Railway engineering

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from Grokipedia
Railway engineering is a multifaceted that integrates principles from civil, mechanical, electrical, and materials to , construct, maintain, and operate rail transportation systems, ensuring safe, efficient, and sustainable movement of passengers and freight. This field addresses the unique challenges of rail infrastructure, including high load capacities, dynamic forces from moving , and integration with broader transportation networks. Key components of railway engineering include track engineering, which involves the layout, materials, and geometry of , and to support train stability and longevity; structures and bridges, designed to withstand environmental and operational stresses; and signaling and communication systems, essential for traffic control, safety, and automation. Additional aspects encompass yards, terminals, adaptations, and regulatory compliance to optimize performance and minimize disruptions. Professional standards, such as those from the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), provide recommended practices for these elements, influencing global railway development. The scope of railway engineering has evolved with technological advancements, from traditional steam-era designs to modern electrified and automated networks, underscoring its vital role in economic connectivity and environmental in freight and . Organizations like AREMA support ongoing innovation through publications, education, and technical committees, ensuring the discipline adapts to emerging demands such as and urban transit integration.

Fundamentals

Definition and Scope

Railway engineering is the application of principles to the , , operation, and maintenance of systems, encompassing the creation of that supports the movement of passengers and freight over long distances. This discipline integrates multiple fields to ensure the functionality and longevity of rail networks, addressing challenges from initial planning to ongoing upkeep. The scope of railway engineering extends across for structural elements like tracks and bridges, for and components, for and traction systems, and for integration of signaling and control mechanisms, all aimed at delivering efficient and safe mass transit solutions. These aspects enable high-capacity transport while minimizing environmental impact and operational disruptions. Key objectives include achieving cost-effectiveness through optimized , enhancing reliability via robust maintenance strategies, maximizing capacity for increased throughput, and facilitating integration with to support sustainable mobility in growing cities. These goals ensure rail systems contribute to and societal needs, such as reduced congestion and lower emissions. Railways emerged as engineered networks for freight and passenger movement in the , coinciding with the advent of and the expansion of industrial transport. This historical foundation underscores their role in transforming connectivity. Unlike related fields such as , railway engineering emphasizes linear, guided paths that require precise alignment and fixed for high-speed operations, in contrast to the flexible, adaptable roadways of highways that accommodate varied vehicle routing.

Key Principles

Railway engineering is grounded in the principles of and dynamics, which govern the behavior of rail vehicles under various operating conditions. Statics addresses the equilibrium of forces when a train is at rest or moving at constant velocity, ensuring that the vertical loads from the vehicle's weight are balanced by support reactions from the rails and suspension systems. Dynamics, on the other hand, examines motion influenced by external forces such as traction, braking, and . form the cornerstone of these principles: (inertia) explains why a train resists changes in speed or direction, necessitating continuous application of forces to maintain motion; the second law (F = ma) quantifies how tractive or braking forces produce acceleration or deceleration proportional to the train's mass; and the third law (action-reaction) describes the equal and opposite forces at the wheel-rail interface that enable propulsion and steering. These laws are applied through multibody dynamics simulations to predict vehicle stability and ride quality. A critical aspect of railway design involves load-bearing concepts, particularly the distribution of loads and the resulting contact stresses at the wheel-rail interface. loads, typically ranging from 20 to 35 tonnes per in standard freight systems, determine the vertical forces transmitted to the track and must be optimized to avoid structural failure. The interaction between the wheel and rail is analyzed using Hertzian contact theory, which models the elastic deformation of two convex surfaces under load, predicting an elliptical and Hertzian stresses that peak at 1000-1500 MPa under nominal conditions. This theory highlights how high contact pressures lead to subsurface and , necessitating robust rail profiles and strategies to mitigate risks. To safely negotiate curves, railway tracks incorporate cant (superelevation), where the outer rail is elevated relative to the inner rail to counteract centrifugal forces. This provides a balanced condition at the equilibrium speed, derived from the dynamics of and . The formula for equilibrium speed is v=ebgrv = \sqrt{ \frac{e}{b} g r }
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