Reading rules

Exercise 40 Match the terms in the left column with their definitions in the right column.

1. permanent way	a) the distance between rails
2. rails	b) the combination of rails, ties and ballast
3. gauge	c) rails with reduced number of joints
4. sleepers (ties)	d) the mechanism moving trains from one track to another
5. switch	e) a track, having concrete cover, instead of ballast
6. joint	f) the place where the ends of rails meet
7. ballast	g) wooden supports for rails
8. slab track	h) long steel bars on which trains run
9. CWR	i) the support for the track structure

Exercise 41 Answer the following questions.
1. What is the origin of the term permanent way? 2. What elements does the permanent way consist of? 3. What is the difference between the modern railroad track and the track of the early days of railways? 4. What is the gauge? Where are the standard and the broad gauges used? 5. Why does crossing borders become a problem in some countries? 6. What is the weakest part of the track and why? 7. What is the switch intended for? 8. What does the weight of the rails laid in the track depend on? 9. Which rails are laid in the heavily used main lines? 10. How can we make wooden ties last longer? 11. Is ballast an important element of the track? Why is it important? 12. What advantages do continuous welded rails have? 13. Why do concrete sleepers replace the wooden ones? What are their strong points? 14. What other improvements in the track structure do you know? 15. For which lines is it suitable to use slab track with embedded rails? 16. How does the design of the slab track differ from that of the common ballasted track? 17. What are the advantages of the slab track?