60E2 rail is a heavy-duty steel rail engineered to excel in high-stress, heavy-load transport scenarios. Manufactured in strict accordance with EN-4 standards, it is crafted from high-quality materials including R200, R260, R260Mn, and R350HT, ensuring exceptional durability and structural stability. Available in standard lengths of 12m to 25m, with the flexibility to accommodate custom lengths based on project-specific needs, this rail is a reliable choice for demanding infrastructure projects.
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Size: 60E2 rail
Length: 5~25m or other length according to customers’ requirement
Material: R200 / R260 / R260Mn / R350HT
Standard: EN-4
Type: Heavy Rail
Rail Height: 172mm
Bottom Width: 150mm
Web Thickness: 16.5mm
Head Width: 72mm
Weight: 60.03kg/m
The material parameters of 60E2 heavy rail are selected to optimize mechanical performance, ensuring each grade meets the unique stress and wear requirements of diverse applications.
60E2 Steel rail is tailored to deliver consistent performance in environments requiring robust load-bearing capabilities, making it a versatile solution across key industries.
Withstands the rugged conditions of mining operations, facilitating the movement of ore, coal, and heavy mining equipment.
Supports high-capacity freight trains and heavy-haul locomotives, ensuring safe and efficient long-distance transport of goods.
Ideal for industrial facilities with large machinery, enabling seamless transportation of raw materials and finished products.
Meets safety standards for urban transit, providing stable performance in high-frequency, short-distance travel scenarios.
Its robust design (172mm height, 150mm bottom width) enables it to handle extreme weights, making it suitable for ultra-heavy transport.
Crafted from premium-grade steels, it resists fatigue, wear, and impact, ensuring a long service life even in harsh conditions.
Adherence to EN-4 guarantees compatibility with international rail systems and meets stringent safety and performance criteria.
The range of materials allows customization to match specific environmental demands, from high humidity to extreme temperatures.
Everything from clips to soleplates — engineered for seamless installation and performance.
Securely fasten rails to sleepers, maintaining gauge stability under dynamic loads.
Connect rail ends seamlessly, ensuring smooth transitions and load distribution.
enhance railway durability by distributing loads, adjusting track alignment, damping vibrations.
Reduce vibration and noise, distribute dynamic loads evenly, and prolong sleeper life.
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Having spent a number of years actively involved in the recruitment of graduates and apprentices into Railway Engineering teams across multiple businesses I have seen different approaches taken. If you are applying for graduate positions I would strongly recommend you do your research and choose what suits you best. In my experience there is a bit of a spectrum, from:
This is a specific role within a specific discipline, that has been advertised, as that department has a specific resourcing requirement. Graduates can be seen as a very cost effective resource, who can come in and support the discipline engineer and undertake simpler or more administrative tasks, to free up capacity of the Engineer to focus on the detail of designing. Typically in Railway Engineering this could be activities such as drafting technical report layouts, running repetitive calculations in spreadsheets or using CAD to prepare drawings.
The aim in this scenario is for the graduate to then learn on the job, through mentorship and often by osmosis, from being in and around an experienced team of engineers; to become proficient in said discipline and progress through to an Engineer position in due course.
Alternatively
This is where a business (generally of sufficient scale) makes a strategic investment in the recruitment and development of graduates. It will typically offer a given number of positions in a variety of core engineering disciplines and run for a set period of time, such as two or three years (sometimes on a fixed term contract). Often the programme aligns to degree subjects, such as Civils, Mechanical and Electrical as opposed to specific Railway Engineering disciplines like Track, Signalling or Overhead Line Equipment (OLE). If you are in such a programme you will have the opportunity to then experience a range of placements in different departments.
If I take the scheme I was on as an example I covered a whole range of areas including: MEP design of stations, Signalling, maintenance, engineering and plant trains, Track design and most memorably a stint with the Emergency Response Unit (London Underground’s own in house version of the Fire Brigade).
So what is the best kind of graduate role for me, you may ask yourself?
Well I’m afraid only you can answer that question. But I can highlight the benefits and draw backs across that spectrum and give my personal views.
The advantage of the first scenario is that if you know what you want to do, you can then focus on this discipline and swiftly develop you skills in that particular area and progress quicker. Conversely, if you do not have a specific aim and you wish to gain a broader understanding of Railway Engineering, then the later scenario of a graduate programme may suit you better. The advantage here is you will gain exposure to a range of disciplines and take that opportunity to discover which appeals to you most before choosing your specialism.
I will conclude by offering my personal view and advice on this matter. I would choose the latter scenario, do my research and ensure I take a graduate role that is part of programme that gives the opportunity to experience as great a variety of part of railway engineering and the wider industry beyond a possible. My reasons to recommend this are as follows:
A) Knowledge
The vast majority of graduates (unless you’ve been fortunate enough to do a summer placement or year in year industry) have no prior knowledge or experience in Railway Engineering. So picking a potentially very niche discipline at the start of your career could be very limiting.
B) Integration
It is vital to understand that the Railway is an complex integrated system of parts, that all interface with one another. Having a wider understanding of other disciplines will make you more competent in your chosen specialism. And a graduate scheme of different placements is one of the best opportunities to experience the wider system.
C) Network
Careers are often built on networks and contacts. Exposing yourself to a range of departments and individuals creates an excellent foundation from which to grow.
D) Management
Once you have mastered your chosen specialism and are potentially looking to develop in your Railway Engineering career; one of the common steps is to move into Engineering Management. This typically involves management and integration of multidisciplinary teams. Therefore having a broader understanding of other disciplines and their interfaces will be invaluable to that progression.
And that concludes my first post on the journey through Railway Engineering. Next time I’ll dive into my chosen railway specialism, the art of Track Design!
A new year often brings resolutions and fresh starts, and for me, it’s the perfect time to embark on something I’ve been meaning to do for several years—start a blog.
After five years with my previous company, I left just before Christmas, starting a new position at the beginning of this year. Over the holidays, I took the opportunity to reflect on my career journey: how it all began, the path that brought me here, and where I hope to go next.
This reflection inspired me to create a blog that captures my career experiences—almost entirely within the railway industry. My goal is to share insights, provide practical guidance for those considering a similar path, and shed light on the diverse opportunities, skills, and experiences you can gain as a railway engineer.
Whether you’re exploring career options, already in the field, or simply curious about what railway engineering entails, I hope this blog offers value and inspires you to see the potential in this fascinating industry.
I want to start at the beginning. How did I get into railway engineering?
Did I have Brio or Hornby train sets as a child? No. Did I spend my weekends watching steam trains at the Swanage Railway? Also no. I certainly wasn’t one of those children who knew from an early age that they wanted a career in the railways. In fact, I didn’t even know I wanted to become an engineer.
What I did was take a series of independent, logical steps that eventually led me to this career path.
At school, after completing my GCSEs (the final compulsory exams in the UK, taken at age 16), I had to decide what to study for my A-Levels. I chose the subjects I enjoyed the most and was best at: Maths, Physics, and DT (Design Technology) with a focus on Resistant Materials.
This combination appealed to me because it balanced technical knowledge with creativity and hands-on application. However, at that point, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do after school.
In my final year of A-Levels, I had to think seriously about university. Looking at my subjects, I realised I wanted to combine the technical and scientific knowledge from Maths and Physics with the practical aspects of DT. I found the most satisfaction in creating tangible outputs from my work rather than focusing purely on theoretical concepts.
The logical conclusion? Study engineering.
But engineering is a broad field with many disciplines. (The UK Engineering Council, for example, recognizes 35 different engineering institutions.) With limited knowledge and experience, I decided the safest bet was to choose the most general option. After reviewing various courses and modules, I settled on Mechanical Engineering, as it included elements of both electrical and civil engineering.
By my final year of university, I knew I wanted a career in engineering—but I wasn’t sure which sector. Many of my classmates were heading into investment banking in London, drawn by the money. I knew also I wanted to stay in the city, to pursue a practical engineering role, but the challenge was to find one.
Having moved from rural Dorset to central London, I had become fascinated by the Tube. Taking the Tube almost daily, I was amazed by how integral the network was to the city’s function. It was clear to me that London couldn’t operate without it. This realisation sparked an idea: I could contribute to something so vital to millions of people while gaining valuable engineering experience.
I applied for a Mechanical Engineering graduate scheme with Tube Lines, a private company responsible for maintaining parts of the London Underground. After several interviews and assessments, I was fortunate to secure a position.
And that is how I ended up in railway engineering. But this is only the beginning of the story. Once you enter the world of railways, you discover a complex and fascinating system made up of countless engineering disciplines. My next challenge was deciding which one to pursue—a decision that shaped the rest of my career.
Next time, I’ll dive into graduate opportunities in railway engineering and share advice for those considering a career in this field.
Have you ever wondered how a train moves from one track to another—allowing it to change direction or take a different route? You’re about to find out!
Welcome to the world of Switches & Crossings (S&C)—or Points & Crossings (P&C), as the London Underground calls them—also known variously as turnouts, switches, “tongues and frogs” (to hear some continental colleagues), and more. In the rail industry, we do love our terminology and acronyms!
For this post, I’ll stick with the generic term S&C. I’ll walk you through the key components and the common variations, to give you a solid grasp of the fundamentals. By the end, you’ll be able to look down the rails before you and instantly spot the difference between, say, a stock rail and a switch rail. Ready? Let’s get started.
A switch rail is essentially a standard rail that has been planed or milled to form a tapered point. Switches come in pairs and are typically connected by one or more stretcher bars, depending on their length. These bars maintain the correct gauge—usually mm—between the two switch rails.
At the thicker, non-tapered end, each switch rail is bolted to a standard running rail, which in this context is known as a stock rail. To move the switches, another rod or set of rods—called a drive rod—is connected to the switch rails and linked to a points machine. This machine, usually powered by an electric motor or pneumatic system, pushes or pulls the drive rod to move the switches across.
And that, in essence, is how a train changes from one track to another.
You may have noticed in the background of the first photo in the Switches section that, as the switch rails diverge from the straight mainline track to the left, the right-hand switch rail intersects with the left rail of the straight route. To allow a train’s wheels to pass through this intersection, a break—or discontinuity—in the rail is needed. This feature is what we refer to in the UK as a Crossing.
There are various types of crossings and arrangements, depending on the complexity of the track layout—some of which we’ll explore later. In terms of individual crossings themselves, they can be broadly categorised as follows:
These types have evolved over time through advances in materials and manufacturing techniques. Earlier fabricated crossings were cheaper and easier to produce, but modern cast and machined crossings offer greater longevity and precision in high-speed or high-wear applications.
A single turnout is simply the combination of a switch and a crossing, that operationally permits the diversion from a single track route, into two tracks.
A crossover is a effectively a pair of turnouts back to back that allow a train to cross from one parallel track to another. Depending on the space between these two mainline tracks, there may need to be an additional piece of plain track between the two turnouts to create the crossover.
There are different S&C layouts that fall into the category of junctions. Typically this is where different routes of multiple tracks meet and connect.
The most common form is called a double junction. Where two tracks divide into four. As shown below
You can see from the above photo where the right hand diversion of the left turnout route intersects with the left hand diversion of the right turnout you create four individual points where the rails cross. These are all crossings, as discribed in the section above, and combined are termed a diamond crossing.
There is a variety of other S&C layouts that are more complicated, including: tandems, slips, double slips, swing nose crossings, delta junctions, switch diamonds, scissor crossovers… And the list goes on. Not something to be covered further here, but gives you a really good flavour as to how complex S&C can be.
I hope this post has improved your knowledge of how trains change tracks. Keep an eye out of the window next time you’re on a train and see if you can name the types of S&C.
The short answer? I don’t know—but it’s a lot!
While researching this post, I checked the British Steel Rail catalogue (which you can find here) and counted over 70 different rail profiles. If you look at Tata Steel’s rail profile catalogue, that number jumps to over 100!
This naturally raises the question: Why are there so many different rail profiles, and are they all necessary?
To answer that, we’ll take a journey through the history of rails, exploring how rail profiles have evolved over time. Then, we’ll look at the typical modern rail profiles in use today and the key factors engineers consider when selecting the right one for a project.
The origins of rails and railways are somewhat tricky to define. However, it’s clear that they stem from the challenges of early wheeled transport—specifically, the tendency of heavy vehicles with rigid tyres to sink into and become stuck in soft road surfaces.
By the early 18th century, cast iron plates were being fastened to timber beams in UK collieries to assist with hauling heavy coal wagons. Over time, this system evolved into “edge rail”, where the original flat plate design took on an L-shape. This worked in conjunction with a flange added to the rigid tyre of the wagon wheel, significantly reducing the risk of derailment.
Fast-forward to , and we reach a key milestone in rail history—the birth of rails in a form recognisable to what we see today. The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first public passenger railway, developed by George and Robert Stephenson, used a T-shaped rail. These rails were 15 feet long, weighed 28 lbs per yard, and were fastened to timber sleepers at 3-foot intervals.
With so many different rail types—some of which look almost identical to the naked eye—it’s useful to understand how to identify them. This is done by reading the rolling mark, a standardised marking that every rail manufacturer is required to emboss on the side of the rail at regular intervals.
These markings provide all the key information about the rail. Using the image below as an example, I’ll guide you through each part of the marking from left to right, explaining what it means.
Depending on your perspective, there are arguably two main types of modern rail profiles that dominate the world today—though a third, older type is still worth mentioning.
Flat-Bottom (Vignole) Rail
This is the most common rail type, used across heavy rail, metro, and high-speed systems. Its widespread adoption is due to its stability, stiffness and reduced maintenance compared with other rails. Popular profiles include 54E1, 56E1, and 60E2.
Grooved Rail
Although less common than flat-bottom rail, grooved rail is still widely used—primarily in light rail and tramways within urban environments. Designed to be embedded in roads or pedestrian areas, it features a built-in flange to help prevent derailment, which is especially important on the tight curves typical of tram systems. In effect, it acts like an integrated check rail (another type of rail we’ll cover later). Common grooved rail profiles include 59R2 and 54G2.
Bullhead Rail
While no longer the dominant choice, bullhead rail was the most prevalent type of rail over 50 years ago. It serves as a bridge between the early rail designs of the 19th century and the modern profiles used today. Though largely phased out, it is still found in UK depots, sidings, and some rural parts of the network, particularly in Scotland and Wales. Additionally, it remains in use on parts of the London Underground, though ongoing renewal programmes are gradually replacing it.
For more information, please visit 60e2 Rail.
The interesting concept with bull-head rail is that the ‘I-shaped’ profile is symmetrical. The benefit here was that after the head of the rail was sufficiently, the rail could be transposed (flipped upside down) and then used again. Which if you look at the photo closely, has already happened here as the bottom of the rail is thinner than the head. The typical profile is 95R – 95lbs per yard or 45kg/m.
All of the above main rail profiles are what we call running rails. These are rails that the wheels of a train run on and they take the main load of the train. There are however a few other types of rail I think it is important to mention.
Check Rail – This is an additional rail that installed on the inside of the low rail in tight curves (typically below 200m radius) to prevent trains from falling off the track. A common profile is 33C1.
Switch Rail – This is a standard piece of running rail that has been planed or milled down to a point, which can then be moved from side to side to allow trains to switch from one track to another (more about that in another post). A common profile is 54E1A1.
Conductor Rail – This is a traction rail that carries electricity – typically between 630V and 750V (in the UK) – which powers the train. There are 3rd rail systems used predominantly across the southern region of the UK. Additionally London Underground adopts a 4th rail system. (further details on traction power could form another post; if of interest please let me know). Common profiles include 42CR, 62 FB CR and 75FB CR.
Crane Rail – A more obscure type of rail, and not really associated with railways. This is, as it says in the same, a rail that carries a crane along it. Typically found in ports of rail freight interchanges.
So, why are there so many different rail types? I hope this overview has helped answer that question. However, one aspect we haven’t fully explored is the variety of profiles within the same rail type.
There’s no single reason for this, but in my view, it largely comes down to two factors. First, the evolution of rail profiles over time, which has led to a need for legacy profiles in maintenance. Second, the impact of different wheel profiles on rail performance—a complex subject known as the Wheel-Rail Interface (WRI), which deserves its own discussion. Speed, usage, and regional variations have all played a role in shaping today’s rail profiles. In Europe, standardisation has improved through Euro-Norms (EN), and in the UK, Network Rail specifies a few standard profiles based on speed and tonnage requirements.
There’s certainly a lot to consider! Hopefully, this has been useful—stay tuned for the next post.
Before we dive in, I want to start with a quick disclaimer—especially for any topographical land surveyors reading this. I’m not a specialist in this field, but as a railway engineer, I’ve been involved in numerous surveys. My experience comes from two key perspectives: either defining the scope of a site survey or working with the results once the data has been collected.
In this post, we’ll explore what a topographical survey is, why it matters for railway engineers, how it is used, and the different types of surveys commonly encountered in railway projects.
The term “survey” is used in various contexts, such as quantity surveying. To avoid confusion, it’s helpful to first define what it means in this context.
The word “topographical” has Greek origins, derived from a combination of the following words:
and
A topographical survey provides engineers and designers with an accurate representation of the existing landform, serving as the foundation for design work. The quality of any design is directly dependent on the accuracy of the survey it is based on.
Modern surveying methods generate a digital dataset of three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z), which can be processed into a CAD format to create a 3D model. The density and distribution of survey points vary depending on the project requirements.
For example, in track design, a survey would need to capture specific points on the railhead at regular intervals—typically every 10 metres along each rail—over the area of interest. These points can then be connected to form a rail string. In contrast, for the design of an embankment in a railway cutting, the survey may use a triangular grid with 1-metre intervals to capture the terrain accurately. This grid of points is then combined to generate a surface model.
There are various types of topographical surveys, each developed over time as technology has advanced. I believe it’s useful to provide an overview of their evolution, as it’s important to recognise that every survey method has its own purpose. Technological progress has led to greater accuracy and a higher density of data points, but this also comes with increased costs. As a result, selecting the right survey is a matter of balancing quality, budget, and project scope—sometimes, the highest level of accuracy isn’t necessary if the project doesn’t demand it.
Early railways relied on theodolites and levelling instruments to measure, angles, gradients, alignments, and heights. This method is still used for small-scale works like station or platform refurbishments
Combining electronic distance measurement (EDM) with angular readings, total stations allow precise track alignment checks, platform gauging, and setting out for new track or structures. They are widely used for track maintenance and renewals.
GPS-based surveys enable large-scale mapping, such as corridor surveys for new railway lines or assessing earthworks over long distances. They are particularly useful for early feasibility studies and route planning.
Rail-Mounted LiDAR & Imaging – Mounted on track inspection trains, this method captures high-resolution data of tracks, signals, overhead line equipment (OLE), and surrounding infrastructure. It is widely used for asset management and gauging assessments.
Aircraft and drones equipped with cameras or LiDAR scanners can quickly survey extensive rail networks. This is useful for monitoring embankments, tunnels, and overhead line clearances or for creating 3D models of stations and depots.
High-accuracy laser scanners are used to survey tunnels, bridges, and stations in detail, particularly where access is restricted. This method is ideal for creating as-built models and verifying clearances in complex environments. Additionally this creates millions of survey points in a cloud and requires substantial processing and data storage capacity.
So there you have a layman’s introduction to topographical surveying. I hope you found it informative. Next time we’ll move back to more familiar territory to me and discuss the different types of rail.
Thanks for reading and if you find these posts useful, please do share and subscribe.
As engineers (and I fully count myself here), are we sometimes so fixated on delivering the absolute best technical solution that we lose sight of the bigger picture? I’ve certainly felt this way when leading railway design projects—so focused on achieving perfection that I failed to consider whether it was truly the right solution.
Striving for the highest quality outcome is an admirable trait, and it’s one that is necessary to be a great engineer. But engineering success isn’t always measured by technical excellence alone. More often, it’s about delivering value.
This leads me to a well-known anecdote:
A scientist designs the perfect bridge for £2m, while an engineer designs one that works and meets requirements for £1m!
This brings me to my hypothesis: engineering is all about compromise. We operate in the real world, where constraints are unavoidable. The mark of a truly exceptional engineer lies in their ability, knowledge, and experience to navigate these constraints and deliver solutions that not only meet the brief but also provide the best value to the client.
A practical example from track design illustrates this perfectly—mixed rolling stock line usage. When both high-speed passenger trains and slower freight trains share the same track, a key challenge arises: cant (the tilt applied to the track in curves) is determined by speed. Which speed should the design prioritise? The lighter, more frequent passenger train, or the heavier, less frequent freight train? Or is a compromise necessary? This post isn’t about the technical details of that decision, but rather about the balancing act required in engineering solutions.
But this kind of compromise isn’t limited to technical design decisions—it extends across all aspects of engineering, particularly when delivering projects. One of the most well-known examples of this balancing act is the trade-off between time, cost, and quality.
A concept often found in project management (and I say this without being a qualified PM) is the trade-off triangle between time, cost, and quality. In my experience, you can usually only achieve two of the three, meaning something has to give.
A typical project scenario might go something like this.
A construction deadline is unexpectedly brought forward, and the Contractor requests the Engineer to deliver the design two weeks sooner than the originally agreed eight-week timeframe. The engineer is then faced with three choices:
This kind of situation arises constantly in projects. The most successful engineers are those who can see the bigger picture—balancing resources, managing client relationships, and understanding the project’s true requirements to find the best possible compromise.
And to really hit the sweet spot of achieving allthree; that, in my view, is more of an art than a skill!
Thanks again for reading. Next time we’ll discuss whether engineers make for good project managers!
If I had to pick the single most important factor in the successful delivery of rail projects, it would be integration.
Why, you may ask? In my experience—having been involved in hundreds of rail projects from concept through to commissioning—integration is either at the heart of a project’s success or the root cause of its failure.
When things go wrong, whether it’s programme delays, additional costs, or reworking the design, the issue almost always traces back to poor integration. If different systems, disciplines, and stakeholders aren’t working together effectively, misalignment creeps in, leading to inefficiencies, conflicts, and costly mistakes.
This blog explores my top challenges why integration is so critical and how it can make or break a rail project.
I don’t think I’ve ever worked on a rail project where the scope didn’t change in some way during delivery. Scope change has become so expected that companies often submit competitive tenders assuming they will recover costs through variations post-award.
From an integration perspective, this means that if the scope is not fully defined at the outset, any additional scope items introduced later will need to be incorporated into the work already completed. This often results in unexpected rework, leading to delays and increased costs.
I recognise that it can be extremely difficult—if not impossible—for clients to provide a fully defined scope at project initiation. Some level of scope change is almost inevitable, and it always presents a risk to successful integration and delivery. However, I have seen many instances where the client is uncertain about what they actually need or the impact of their requirements. There is significant room for improvement in how scope is defined, and addressing this more effectively could help mitigate project risks further down the line (this is a topic in itself I may explore as a future blog post)
In larger projects, scope is often divided into separate contracts and awarded to different parties. This can significantly impact how the project is managed and integrated.
Clients typically take one of two approaches when setting up and awarding contracts. One option is to engage multiple specialist organisations, each an expert in their field. Alternatively, they may appoint a larger multi-disciplinary contractor or consultant to provide a turnkey solution. The former approach allows for greater agility and expertise in complex areas, but it also introduces challenges in coordinating multiple parties to ensure seamless integration.
Timing is another critical factor. For instance, if the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) traction power design is awarded to one contractor six months before the track design is awarded to another, this misalignment can create issues. The later start of the track design could either delay progress or result in costly rework of the OLE due to a lack of integration.
Regardless of the chosen contract structure, clients must carefully consider its impact on project integration. Poorly aligned contracts can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and increased costs. A well-thought-out contractual strategy can mitigate these risks and ensure smoother project delivery.
The programme is another key factor in project success. While it is often influenced by contractual arrangements, as previously discussed, it is equally important to understand all the tasks involved in the project—particularly their interactions and the sequence in which they must be completed. Effective task integration is paramount to successful project delivery.
To achieve this, the person responsible for preparing the programme must have a detailed understanding of task interfaces to ensure the logic is set correctly. Alternatively, they must work closely with someone who possesses this knowledge. Whether this role is referred to as an Engineering Manager, Design Manager, Interface Manager, or Integration Manager, it is crucial for ensuring the successful delivery of an integrated project.
Network Rail’s Engineering Management of Projects standard (NR/L2/RSE/) defines the role of the Engineering Manager, including their responsibility for managing integration. It also outlines a competency assessment process to ensure individuals have the necessary skills to support programme-related tasks effectively.
Finally, it’s essential to consider the individuals undertaking different roles within a project. Engineers are often deeply passionate about their design work. When specialists focus on their respective disciplines, they may become overly absorbed in their deliverables, sometimes losing sight of how their decisions impact other areas.
This highlights the importance of the right organisational structure and strong engineering leadership—someone who can see the bigger picture and drive an integrated approach to project delivery. The competency required for such a role isn’t solely about technical expertise—though that remains crucial—but more about possessing strong communication skills. An effective leader must unite a multidisciplinary team, fostering collaboration to ensure a fully integrated final product.
Thanks for tuning in. Next time we’ll discuss the ‘holy trinity’ of Time vs cost vs quality.
If I had a £1 for every time someone told me, “Track design? That’s easy—just two bits of metal in a straight line!”—I’d have retired from the rail industry by now!
This misconception highlights just how little the general public knows about the complexity of railway track design. In reality, thousands of engineers across the UK dedicate their careers to the meticulous planning, construction, maintenance, and enhancement of our rail network. Every curve, gradient, and junction is carefully designed to meet strict safety, operational, and engineering standards.
As professionals in the industry, we have a responsibility to demystify our work and share our knowledge. By explaining what we do, how we do it, and why it matters, we can foster a greater appreciation of the expertise and effort that keep the railways running safely and efficiently.
Broadly speaking, track design falls into two main categories
The fundamental principles of track design apply to both, but the approach differs slightly. Covering the full details of track design in a single post would be impossible (perhaps a sub-series in the future—let me know if you’d be interested!).
For now, I’ll outline the key steps a track designer follows from start to finish.
Whether you’re designing a renewal or on a green field site, everything always starts with a topographical survey. And what do I mean by that? Well that is a series of X, Y, Z coordinates of the current situation – existing rail coordinates for renewals or for a new Railway that would by the ground points for a new bridge, viaduct, tunnel etc.
These coordinates or points ar typically measured at 5-10m intervals along the linear corridor over and slightly beyond the area of Track you are designing. And now you have your canvas from which to work from.
The design of Track alignment is a geometrical exercise. Fundamentally the designer has three different geometrical elements that are connected together tangentially to create an alignment. These elements are:
Transitions are used to ensure a smooth connection between curves and straights.
Once the designer has completed the alignment, if this is a track renewal, then they must also ensure there is a smooth connection between the new alignment and the adjacent existing track alignment. This is what is known as ‘tying-in’.
Cant, speed, and curve radius are directly related in track design. Typically, the designer is tasked with achieving a specified line speed. To accommodate this, they must apply the appropriate cant to curves, ensuring that trains can navigate them safely and comfortably.
When transitioning from a straight section to a curve, cant must be introduced gradually to prevent passengers from experiencing an uncomfortable lateral jerk. This is achieved using a cant transition, where the track tilts progressively over a defined distance.
The design process often requires multiple iterations to balance various constraints and objectives. The final alignment is typically a compromise between factors such as speed, passenger comfort, and construction costs, aiming to achieve the most efficient and practical solution.
What is Cant? Also known as superelevation, cant is the difference in height between the two rails that is used to counteract the centripetal forces that pushes the train outwards as it goes round a curve.
Once the alignment is finalised, the next step is to determine the track system. This can vary significantly depending on the project, location, and type of railway. In some cases, track structure design may be considered independently from the alignment process.
For example, with a tramway deisgn in an urban environment the track will likely be embedded in concrete and the rail encapsulated with a rubber system.
In contrast, on a mainline railway, the track is usually a ballasted system, where crushed stone holds concrete sleepers in place. The sleepers maintain the track gauge (the fixed distance between the rails) using metal fastenings.
On networks like the UK mainline, the track structure is often based on standardised components defined by the infrastructure owner, such as Network Rail. In these cases, the designer’s primary role is to ensure that the selected components meet modern equivalent standards and integrate correctly with the existing infrastructure.
However, for bespoke systems—such as tramway —more detailed design decisions are required to develop a track system that is fit for purpose, balancing factors like reliabilty, maintainability, and operational performance.
Once the design is finalised, it must be delivered in a format suitable for construction. Traditionally, this involves producing 2D drawings using CAD software, which are then issued to the contractor for installation.
On major projects, a full 3D BIM (Building Information Modelling) model may be required. In such cases, 2D drawings can be extracted from the BIM model as needed.
Regardless of the approach, a Track Designer must be proficient in CAD software for alignment design and drawing production. Depending on the project’s complexity, they may also collaborate with CAD or BIM technicians to ensure efficient production.
Next time time we’ll talk about the importance of integration. Stay tuned!
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