Single track (rail) facts for kids

A single track railway is a type of railway where trains traveling in both directions use the same set of tracks. Imagine a road where cars going both ways have to share just one lane! This is similar to how a single track railway works.

In the early days of railways, before inventions like the telegraph, managing many trains on a single track was quite difficult. It often led to delays and even serious accidents, especially when two trains tried to go in opposite directions on the same track at the same time, causing a head-on collision.

How Do Single Tracks Work?

On a single track railway, trains need a special system to make sure they don't crash into each other. Since there's only one track, trains going in opposite directions can't pass each other easily.

Sharing the Track Safely

To avoid problems, single track railways use special places called "passing loops" or "sidings." These are short sections where there are two tracks instead of one. A train can pull onto one of these extra tracks and wait for a train coming the other way to pass. Once the other train has gone by, the waiting train can get back on the main single track.

Signals and Communication

Modern single track railways use advanced signals and communication systems. These systems help railway workers know exactly where each train is. This way, they can tell trains when it's safe to go and when they need to wait at a passing loop. The telegraph was one of the first tools that helped with this, allowing stations far apart to talk to each other about train movements.

Where Are Single Tracks Used?

Single track railways are often found in areas where there isn't a lot of train traffic or where building more tracks would be too expensive or difficult.

Common Locations

You might see single track railways in rural areas, on lines leading to small towns, or in mountainous regions. They are also common on lines that are mainly used for freight trains or for special tourist routes. Even though they are single tracks, they can still carry many trains each day by carefully planning their schedules.

Images for kids

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  A Class 158 DMU on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, a primarily single-track railway in Scotland

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

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

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  Single track on the Stony Point Line in the Australian state of Victoria

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  Kirkby railway station single-track railway interchange (former double-track railway)

See also

In Spanish: Ferrocarril de vía única para niños