Railway switches allow trains to change tracks. They are activated by hand or electronically and most positions are blocked. A reflective marker indicates the direction of the switch and engineers are taught to verify it. Speed limits are reduced in switch areas and damaged switches are repaired or replaced.
A railway switch is a device used by railways to allow a train to change tracks. When the train is intended to travel on a set of tracks that are separate from the current set of tracks on which the train operates, the locomotive operator or another employee at the rail yard will activate the switch and line up the train. up on the correct set of clues. The railroad switch is activated by moving a long arm from side to side and moving the railroad tracks to the desired position. While most railroad switch activation is done by hand, some are electronic and can be changed by an employee in an elevated office in the railroad yard.
Most of the railway switch positions on any railway are blocked. This prevents unwanted rail changes from being made. A clerk riding the locomotive has a special key that fits each lock on each rail; This employee is called a change man. When plans call for a rail change, the switchman climbs down from the locomotive as he slowly rolls and runs to the switch. Once the lock has been removed and the railway switch has been thrown onto the correct track, the lock is replaced and the switch man climbs back on the locomotive and continues on his way.
The rail switch is equipped with a special reflective marker that shows which direction it is thrown. This alerts engineers on all trains to the direction of the tracks. Engineers are taught in their training not only to look at the railroad switch to determine its position, but also to look at the tracks themselves to verify that the switch is in the correct position. This prevents a thrill seeker from dismantling the switch and putting the wrong signal on the switch which could lead to a derailment.
Most railways have reduced speed limits on areas of track that incorporate switches. This not only reduces the chance of a derailment running through the switch gates or tracks too quickly, but also gives the engineer a better opportunity to observe the tracks and verify the direction of the switches. The switch is a very durable piece of rail equipment, however it will sometimes bend or get damaged making it very difficult to change. In this case, a railway repair or maintenance team will repair or replace the damaged switch with a new one.
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