The Rail transport operations reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Rail transport operations

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A rail transport system is often complicated. It should not be viewed as jus "trains", but includes several components each of which is as necessary as the next. These components can be classified into two main grousp, extrinsic factors and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors involve the geography and history of the geography of a system, whereas intrinsic factors tend to be of a more technical nature.

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Table of contents
1 Background
2 Extrinsic factors
3 Intrinsic factors

Background

Each transport system is a business, and as such has to make economic sense otherwise it will close. From this, each will have a particular role or roles to perform. These may change with time but they will affect the specifications of each particular system.

Extrinsic factors

Rail transport systems are built into the geography, including both the physical geography (hills, valleys, etc) and the human geography (location of settlements). The rail transport system may in turn feedback into the human geography.

Landscape geography

The permanent way of a system must pass through the geology of its region. This may be flat or mountainous, may include obstacles such as water. These will determine in part the intrinsic nature of the system.

Human geography

Rail transport systems affect the human geography. Large cities (such as Nairobi) may be founded by a system.

Historical factors

Rail transport systems are often used for purposes for which they were not designed, but have evolved into due to changes in the human geography.

Intrinsic factors

Permanent way

main article permanent way.

The permanet way is pushed through the physical geography.

Types of system

The most common type of rail system is heavy rail which has reasonably high speeds, high axle loadings and.

Light rail systems are designed for lower use and often have simplified specifications.

High speed rail is a development of a system with high speed.

Monorails are used often instead of light rail systems for commuter transport, etc.

Maglev is a recent development with as yet only one real implementation.

Signalling

''main article: railway signalling

Types of vehicle

main article rail vehicle

rolling stock, multiple unit, locomotive.

Passenger operations

An electric multiple unit pulling into Tile Hill station; Coventry, EnglandEnlarge

An electric multiple unit pulling into Tile Hill station; Coventry, England

train station
















Freight operations

Freight wagons filled with limestone await unloading, at sidings in Rugby, EnglandEnlarge

Freight wagons filled with limestone await unloading, at sidings in Rugby, England

marshalling yard, hump yard