Railway points?

Question

The recent rail crash blamed faulty points,but what are points on a railway line.

Answer 1

Hi Micky. In simple terms Points are used to change the direction of a train from one route to another, so say you are on a train that that is traveling from London to Hollyhead when the train travels up the West coast Main line as far as Crew and trhen a set of points is used to take the train off the West Coast Main Line onto the main line to Hollyhead via Chester & Rhyl. Points are also used when a train come out of service to divert it from the mainline into a siding, where it is out of the way from other trains that are still in service.

Answer 2

Are you taking the Micky, Micky? as you well know they are the means of transferring a train from one line to another, didn't you have a train set for Christmas once? you poor kid! What a bunch of numb skulls we have brought into the world! I blame TV and Computers!!!!

Answer 3

Points,or switches as they are called in the US, are used to divert a train from one track to another. Movable blades can form a path either straight ahead or off to one side. Problems occur when the tie-bars fail. The tie-bars hold the blades at the correct distance apart, and ensure that the blades are correctly positioned. When the tie-bars fail, as at Potters Bar a few years ago, and in Cumbria a few days ago, the blades can move to an indeterminate middle position. This causes the wheels on one side of the train to take the straight ahead path, but the wheels on the other side of the train to take the off to one side path. This causes the train to come off the rails (derail).

Answer 4

i think this has been covered by the above answers

Answer 5

"Points" are neither a switch nor turn out on North American railroads.

The "switch points" are the moveable portion of the switch or turnout.

They are pieces of rail that taper to a point at the end.  They are connected to each other by a cross member (connecting rod) and then to a rod that connects to the mechanism that moves the points when needed.  There are different mechanisms; high stand, ground throw, variable, spring, pneumatic, submarine and dual control, with the latter being controlled remotely by a dispatcher or interlocking operator or, when placed into "hand throw" can be operated in the field the same as a standard ground throw switch.

When in "normal" position, there is a gap on one side that allows for the flanges of the wheels to pass while the opposite point makes contact with the rail which the flange will follow.  When in reverse position, the switch points move to the opposite side, making contact for the flange to follow and creating the gap on the opposite rail for the flange to pass.  The switch points are connected to the "stock rail."

The device that actually allows the flanges to pass over one rail to the other rail is the "frog."  There is also the "movable point frog," but these are for special purpose and are rarely seen, as a rule.

I have noted the fervor this and other accidents have caused in the UK.  But, before drawing any conclusions it must be definitively known what caused the switch point failure.  It is not necessarily a failing of the maintenance department people nor lack of inspection.  The truth is, sometimes things just wear out or break, or have some sort of undetectable defect.  These are unavoidable characteristics that have caused many train wrecks over the years, as well as air crashes, sunken ships and traffic collisions.  It is the nature of the beast.

Answer 6

I think Americans call them 'switches'. In the UK a 'switch' is something else!

Answer 7

In the USA they are called turnouts or switches.  Basically a movable pair of rails that allow a train to switch to another line.

Here's a picture of a complex arrangement.  The lower right shows most of one set.

http://www.freefoto.com/preview.jsp?id=2...