One fundamental “difference” between pure science and engineering is the way the second deals with absolutes, unknowns, infinities and other such theoretical concepts, irrelevant, difficult or dangerous to materialise in an engineering construct and project.
In track design the “virtual transition” is, for a few countries, one such a method to deal with a particular infinite value…
If I want to challenge the “virtual transition”, and propose to get rid of the virtual transition, I end up demonstrating that very often the virtual transitions are not that bad and we will use more virtual transitions, by removing the virtual transitions. But if we keep them, we will still use virtual transitions where we should not have virtual transitions…
A (bit) more accurate alternative method to calculate the equivalent radius for bending turnouts is based on the tangent defined by the crossing angle…
An interesting research shows a comparison between the lateral resistance tests undertaken on single sleeper and tests on multiple sleepers.
The results for single sleeper tests show a huge difference between the more complex shaped sleeper and the normal box shape (up to 60% increase in lateral resistance).
But reveals also something else ..
Long time ago, a good friend of mine, had an interesting design experience. He designed a non-compliant alignment and, after slueing it about 1mm, he turned it into compliant. The magic is described here …
A different kind of article … Antescript Several times, in the last ten years, I started to write articles with this title. The only draft I kept is so convoluted and confusing that I might even decide to publish it. I have a few answers to this question. There is one I hesitate to put…
On the shoulders of CWR giants In 1994 UIC (the International Union of Railways) and ERRI (the European Railway Research Institute) set up a committee of specialists – D202 – to develop an international standard code for laying and maintenance of continuous welded rail track. Various research institutions and national railway administrations provided a complex…
Things you find on Spark. In 1972, RTC conducted a series of tests to evaluate the effect on tamping on the track lateral resistance. Their results, published in 1973, have been referenced in numerous other research documents, including the ERRI D202 Reports – the committee that produced UIC Leaflet 720R “Laying and Maintenance of CWR…
A railway track blog 