The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(November 2010) |
Sandite is a substance used on railways in the UK, Ireland, [1] US, [2] the Netherlands [3] and Belgium [4] to combat leaves on the line, [5] which can cause train wheels to slip and become damaged with flat spots. Sandite consists of a mixture of sand, antifreeze and steel shot. [6]
Leaf build up on the railhead can also cause signalling issues and 'disappearing trains' on the rail control systems (because of the electrically insulating effect of the leaves, which can prevent operation of track circuits).
British Rail conducted research, in 1976, to determine the suitability of Sandite for use as an adhesion improver. [5]
Sandite is usually applied by a special train which first clears fallen leaves from the rails using high-pressure water, then sprays the sandite onto the rail surface. [7] To assist the staff on the Sandite train in locating the sites concerned, in England and Wales black on yellow lineside markers were installed: [8]
From 1992, lineside marker boards were installed on the Scottish Region, based on alternative white octagonal boards to denote the commencement and finish points, with no warning sign. [9]
In The Netherlands, Sandite is applied by the first passenger trains of the day, [10] with special maintenance trains available too.
Belgian Infrabel operates a dedicated train, with a diesel engine at either end. [11]
British Rail initially used converted diesel and electric multiple units. [12] [13] Successor Network Rail built a fleet of dedicated sandite wagons which are hauled in top and tail formation by Colas Rail and, DB Cargo UK and Direct Rail Services locomotives. Network Rail also uses its MPVs. As at October 2021, 67 sets were operated. [14] [15]
The National Railway Company of Belgium is the national railway company of Belgium. The company formally styles itself using the Dutch and French abbreviations NMBS/SNCB. The corporate logo designed in 1936 by Henry van de Velde consists of the linguistically neutral letter B in a horizontal oval.
Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term railroad and the international term railway is the most significant difference in rail terminology. There are also others, due to the parallel development of rail transport systems in different parts of the world.
The British Rail Class 104 diesel multiple units were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1957 to 1959.
An adhesion railway relies on adhesion traction to move the train. Adhesion traction is the friction between the drive wheels and the steel rail. The term "adhesion railway" is used only when it is necessary to distinguish adhesion railways from railways moved by other means, such as by a stationary engine pulling on a cable attached to the cars or by railways that are moved by a pinion meshing with a rack.
The Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line is a 74 mi (119 km) commuter rail line running from New Haven, Connecticut to New York City. It joins the Harlem Line at Mount Vernon, New York and continues south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The New Haven Line carries 125,000 passengers every weekday and 39 million passengers a year. The busiest intermediate station is Stamford, with 8.4 million passengers, or 21% of the line's ridership.
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is a replacement for legacy train protection systems and designed to replace the many incompatible safety systems currently used by European railways. The standard was also adopted outside Europe and is an option for worldwide application. In technical terms it is a type of positive train control (PTC).
This article contains a list of jargon used to varying degrees by railfans, trainspotters, and railway employees in the United Kingdom, including nicknames for various locomotives and multiple units. Although not exhaustive, many of the entries in this list appear from time to time in specialist, rail-related publications. There may be significant regional variation in usage.
A sandbox is a container on most locomotives, multiple units and trams that holds sand, which is dropped on the rail in front of the driving wheels in wet and slippery conditions and on steep grades to improve traction.
Slippery rail, or low railhead adhesion, is a condition of railways (railroads) where contamination of the railhead reduces the traction between the wheel and the rail. This can lead to wheelslip when the train is taking power, and wheelslide when the train is braking. One common cause of contamination is fallen leaves that adhere to the railhead of railway tracks. The condition results in significant reduction in friction between train wheels and rails, and in extreme cases can render the track temporarily unusable. In Britain, the situation is colloquially referred to as "leaves on the line".
Wheel slide protection and wheel slip protection are railway terms used to describe automatic systems used to detect and prevent wheel-slide during braking or wheel-slip during acceleration. This is analogous to ABS and traction control systems used on motor vehicles. It is particularly important in slippery rail conditions.
Locomotive wheelslip is an event that affects railway motive power usually when starting from stationary, but can also affect an engine in motion.
Transmission balise-locomotive (TBL) is a train protection system used in Belgium and on Hong Kong's East Rail line.
British Rail Telecommunications was created in 1992 by British Rail (BR). It was the largest private telecoms network in Britain, consisting of 17,000 route kilometres of fibre optic and copper cable which connected every major city and town in the country and provided links to continental Europe through the Channel Tunnel.
A rail adhesion car or rail adhesion train is a modified vehicle used on a rail adhesion system where the standard equipment does not have locomotives' rail sanding ability. In particular, it may involve tanks and dispensing equipment installed in an electric subway or rail car that is run over the rails alone or in a train to dispense sand when needed. Because of space limits under the cars, the sand or gel/sand mix tanks are installed inside the passenger space.
The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is an initiative backed by the European Union to enhance cross-border interoperability and the procurement of signalling equipment by creating a single Europe-wide standard for train control and command systems.
A rail operating centre (ROC) is a building that houses all signallers, signalling equipment, ancillaries and operators for a specific region or route on the United Kingdom's main rail network. The ROC supplants the work of several other signal boxes which have thus become redundant.
Route knowledge is one of the core skills together with train handling and a full understanding of railway rules, which the operating crew must possess in order to be able to operate a train safely.
The Multi-purpose vehicle is a purpose built departmental derivative of a diesel multiple unit constructed for use as a rail adhesion vehicle by NI Railways in Northern Ireland.
The British Rail Class 755 is a class of bi-mode multiple unit train built by Stadler Rail for Greater Anglia. Part of the FLIRT modular train family, the trains first entered service on 29 July 2019 and are used on regional and local services throughout East Anglia.
On 31 October 2021, two trains, travelling on converging lines, collided at Salisbury Tunnel Junction, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Salisbury railway station in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Fifteen people, including one of the train drivers, were taken to hospital.
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