Introduction to railway transport

INTRODUCTION TO RAILWAY TRANSPORT

Modes of transport

(1) Transport (transportation) is the movement of people and goods from one

location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, and space.

(2) A mode of transport is a solution that makes use of a particular type of

vehicle, infrastructure and operation. The transport of a person or of cargo may

involve one mode or several modes. Each mode has its advantages and

disadvantages, and will be chosen for a trip on the basis of cost, capability, route, and

speed.

(3) Transport infrastructure may be roads, railways, airways, waterways,

canals, and terminals such as airports, railway stations, bus stations, warehouses,

trucking terminals, refueling depots, and seaports.

(4) Vehicles traveling on these networks may include automobiles, bicycles,

buses, trains, trucks, helicopters, and aircraft. Operations deal with the way the

vehicles are operated, and the procedures set for this purpose including financing,

legislation and policies. In the transport industry, operations and ownership of

infrastructure can be either public or private, depending on the country and mode.

Railway transport

(5) Rail transport is the transferring of passengers and goods by means of

wheeled vehicles specially designed to run along railways or railroads. Rail transport

is part of the logistics chain, which facilitates international trade and economic

growth in most countries.

(6) Typical railway tracks consist of two parallel rails, normally made of steel,

secured to crossbeams, termed sleepers (UK and Australia) or ties (U.S. & Canada).

The sleepers maintain a constant distance between the two rails; a measurement

known as the "gauge" of the track. Rails provide smooth and hard surfaces on which

the wheels of the train can roll with a minimum of friction.

(7) Rail transport is an energy-efficient and capital-intensive means of

mechanized land transport and is a component of logistics. Due to the various

benefits, rail transport is a major form of public transport in many countries. In Asia,

for example, many millions use trains as regular transport in India, China, South

Korea and Japan. Indian Railways carries 14 million passengers a day, making it one

of the busiest railway networks in the world. Rail transport is also widespread in

European countries.

(8) The vehicles travelling on the rails, collectively known as rolling stock,

vehicles called a train, which can include a locomotive if the vehicles are not

individually powered. A locomotive is a powered vehicle used to haul a train of

unpowered vehicles. The locomotive can be powered by steam, diesel or by

electricity. Railed vehicles move with much less friction, making trains more energy

efficient, though not as efficient as ships.

(9) In the USA, individual unpowered vehicles are known as cars. These may

be passenger carrying or used for freight purposes. For passenger-carrying vehicles, the term carriage or coach is used, while a freight-carrying vehicle is known as a

freight car in the United States and a wagon or truck in Great Britain.

(10) The modes of rail transport are very diverse nowadays, as they involve

complex operations and infrastructure.

(11) Rail transport vehicles for passengers can be categorized as: transit

(commuter) trains, high-speed rail, and intercity rail. The maritime passenger

transport is less used today due to its slow mode.

(12) Rail transport appears to be a widely used transportation mode in many

countries. Diesel is the primary fuel in North America for railway transport, while

several countries, including European countries and Japan, use electricity as a

primary source of energy for rail transport. Some developing countries, such as China

and India, still use coal as the energy source.

(13) When we look at the railway sector for the transport of passengers and

goods, we observe an increasing use of this mode in almost every country due to the

abovementioned advantages, which may be generalized into four key benefits,

namely:

 safety;

 rapidity;

 cost effectiveness;

 environmental friendliness.

(14) The growth in rail transport is expected to be doubled in the next decade

by considering the economic growth in fast-developing countries, including China,

India, and Turkey.

EXERCISE:29
1. Railed vehicles move with much less friction, making trains more energy

efficient, though not as efficient as ships.

2. In Asia, for example, many millions use trains as regular transport in India,

China, South Korea and Japan.

3. Indian Railways carries 14 million passengers a day, making it one of the

busiest railway networks in the world.

4. The locomotive can be powered by steam, diesel or by electricity.

5. Rail transport vehicles for passengers can be categorized as: transit (commuter)

trains, high-speed rail, and intercity rail.

6. Diesel is the primary fuel in North America for railway transport, while several

countries, including European countries and Japan, use electricity as a primary

source of energy for rail transport.

7. Some developing countries, such as China and India, still use coal as the

energy source.

8. The growth in rail transport is expected to be doubled in the next decade by

considering the economic growth in fast-developing countries, including

China, India, and Turkey.

9. As a relevant example, in Germany, railway length is approximately 35,000

km, being the second largest in that country after the long-distance federal

roads.

10. Rails provide smooth and hard surfaces on which the wheels of the train can

roll with a minimum of friction.