Why is a railroad frog called a frog?

Question

Why is a railroad frog called a frog?

Answer 1

Intersecting railroad tracks cross through each other on a special track section called a railroad frog. Any clues how it became known as a frog other then a visual similiarly to a crushed, splayed and dried real frog

got that from some other site

Answer 2

Dave is correct.  But there is another device called a frog that is used to rerail cars after a minor derailment.  There is the "Buddha" frog and the "butterfly" frog, often seen hanging on the sides of locomotive trucks.