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A right-hand railroad switch with point indicator pointing to right Animated diagram of a right-hand railroad switch. Rail track A divides into two: track B (the straight track) and track C (the diverging track); note that the green line represents direction of travel only, the black lines represent fixed portions of track, and the red lines depict the moving components.
Interlocking is a safety measure designed to prevent signals and points/switches from being changed in an improper sequence. For example, interlocking would prevent a signal from being changed to indicate a diverging route, unless the corresponding points/switches had been changed first.
The second type of derail is the "split rail" type. [7] These are basically a complete or partial railroad switch which directs the errant rolling stock away from the main line. This form is common throughout the UK, where it is called trap points or catch points. Split rail type derail on the A&M in Rogers, Arkansas
A single tongue trap consists of only one switch rail, leading away from the main line to a short tongue of rail. This is usually placed in the rail farthest from the main line. Double trap points are a full turnout, leading to two tongues. Usually the tongue nearer the main line is longer than the other.
However, after the Armagh rail disaster of 1889, block working became mandatory. Seeing the train staff provided assurance that there could be no head-on collision. To ensure that the ticket was not issued incorrectly, a book of numbered tickets was kept in a locked box, the key to which was permanently fastened to the token, or was the token.
The point clip clamps the end of a moving rail (the switch rail) of a set of points to its associated stock rail, and the scotch is a timber wedge used to ensure that the other moving rail is kept away from its associated stock rail. In this way the points are fixed in either the 'normal' or 'reverse' positions and cannot be moved by the usual ...
Entire rail systems or political areas may adopt a common naming convention. In Central Europe, for example, signalling control points were all issued regionally unique location codes based roughly on the point's location and function, [3] while the American state of Texas sequentially numbered all interlockings for regulatory purposes. [4]
Track warrants are issued granting main track use between two named points (i.e. milepost sign, station, or any fixed physical point, such as a switch).The dispatcher may also issue time constraints (known as "Box 6" on a standard form), although the track warrants remain in effect until cleared by a member of the receiving crew.