Reading rules

Exercise 42 Choose one of the topics and make up a short story based on the text. Present it to the group.
1. The early and the modern railroad track (the right of way, permanent way, the basic feature, to consist of, wooden rails, to be replaced by iron rails, sleepers, to be not strong enough, to rest on granite blocks, to have no ballast).
2. Rails and ties (to be laid in the main lines, to weigh 60 kg to the metre, elimination of rail joints, CWR, to have greater strength, to provide smoother running at greater speeds, to support rails, to be treated with creosote, the greater weight of concrete sleepers).
3. Ballasted and ballastless track (a bed of crashed rock, to support the track structure, slab track, superstructure with embedded rails, to have advantages in terms of maintenance, to be laid in high-speed routes).


Exercise 43 Project a) Using Internet or any other source of information find something interesting and new about the construction of railroad track: new kinds of tracks, materials and fastenings. Make a good oral presentation with tables, photos, etc.
b) Compare different kinds of rails, sleepers and tracks.
c) Imagine that you are a famous designer in the field of railroad construction. Work out your own project of a railway track of the future. Present it in class using tables, drawings etc. You can work in groups.


Supplementary text
UNUSUAL RAILWAYS
(1) In the course of railway history many researches were carried out to develop cheaper and more efficient means of transportation. Here are some interesting examples of unusual railways. In 1862 L.D. Girard, a French inventor, surprised the world that he invented Gliding Railway¹ based on the entirely new wheelless design. According to the project the train was to move on six plates. While the train was running the water was to be spread evenly between the plates and the track. When constructed the experimental line was a success. People travelling on this strange railway were surprised by its smoothness, noiseless operation of trains and speed attained. This railway proved much cheaper in the comparison with conventional railways since it did not need a rail track.
(2) In early 1900s there appeared one of the strangest mountain railways in Austria. It was a balloon railway² whose function was to facilitate and speed up the transportation of passengers up a high mountain near Salzburg. It consisted of a large balloon connected to the car. Instead of wheels the car had a slide³ running on a single rail. When loaded, the car carrying ten passengers rose up the mountain. But when it was to run down, a large tank installed under the car had to be filled with water. It was the increased weight that made the car run down again.
(3) William H. Reinolz, USA, proposed to use a water base for his track. But the water was to be frozen and the trains were to move over a bed of ice. According to Reinolz the atomic energy ought to be used for freezing water, and the track ought to be enclosed in a gallery of transparent plastic to decrease air friction and power losses. The streamlined⁴ trains should be made of aluminium.
(4) The idea of using underground tunnels or tubes for high-speed running is being carefully studied by scientists. According to the so-called tube-flight concept⁵ streamlined vehicles are to run in a tube. The power source should be installed in cars and they are to transfer air by propellers from the front to the rear. Running in the tube the trains will have small power losses, so speeds up to 2000mph can be theoretically attained.
Not all of the proposals for unconventional railways have found a practical application. But these ideas have made it possible to build modern high-speed transportation systems.
¹ Gliding railway – залізниця, заснована на принципі ковзання
² balloon railway – залізниця, на якій потяги рухалися за допомогою повітряної кулі
³ a slide – тут повзунок
⁴ streamlined – той, який має обтічну форму
⁵ tube-flight concept – ідея швидкісного «польоту» у трубі


Exercise 44 Think where the ideas from the text can be used today. Which of the projects has found practical application? Which of them seems the most fantastic (realistic)? Can any of these ideas be possibly used in the future?

Exercise 45 Fill in the table. Give your own arguments in favour of one of the projects.

Name of the project	Pros	Cons
Gliding Railway
Balloon Railway
Railway on Ice
Tube-Flight Concept