Single track (rail) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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A single track railway

A single track railway is one where traffic in both directions shares the same track. In the early days of railways, especially before the telegraph, operation of significant numbers of trains on a single track railway was fraught with difficulties, including delays and accidents, particularly head-on collisions.

Railway track layouts
Running lines
Single track • Passing loop • Double track • Quadruple track
Rail sidings
Balloon loop • Headshunt • Rail yard • Classification yard
Junctions
Flying junction • Level junction • Double junction • Facing and trailing • Grand union • Wye • Railroad switch • Swingnose crossing • Level crossing
Stations
Side platform • Island platform • Bay platform • Split platform • Terminal station • Balloon loop • Spanish solution • Cross-platform interchange
Hillclimbing
Horseshoe curve • Zig Zag / Switchback • Spiral

Images for kids

  • The train to Kyle of Lochalsh - geograph.org.uk - 467835

    A train on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, a primarily single-track railway in Scotland

  • DE30 408 West Babylon DSC 0384

    A train on the Long Island Rail Road's single-tracked Central Branch

  • 201701 JWR-DF4B hauls 25B coaches on Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway over Daxi River

    A train on the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway, a single-track railway in Southern Zhejiang Province, China


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Single track (rail) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.