How did the train change tracks? Detail point

The change of train track is not controlled by the train driver, but by the movable part of the track, which is called turnout. When there is a small gap in the turnout, the rim can pass through the small gap and travel in the direction of the outer rail. When the two tracks are closely attached, the rim is guided in the direction of the inner track.

Track change is turnout control, and single turnout is the most widely used one. Turnout consists of three parts: turnout, connecting part, frog and guard rail. Turnouts include basic rails, switch rails and switch machinery.

In the early days, the turnout was controlled manually, but now most of them use computers to accurately control the moving direction of the turnout, which greatly reduces the situation that the turnout is pulled in the wrong direction or not in place.

Extended data:

Theoretically, as long as the turnout position is correct, there is no problem for the train to enter the correct track change. However, due to manual operation, there is really no way to ensure that it is right every time, and even if it adopts mechanical methods, it cannot be guaranteed that its orbit change is correct.

Once the turnout is not pulled down, the train will easily derail when it changes tracks. And the switch is pulled in the wrong direction, which means that the train may have entered the wrong track.

On the wrong railway track, there may be other trains stopping, there may be oncoming trains at the same time, and there may be workers under construction, which is very dangerous.

So we must do everything possible to ensure that the train can't change tracks. So the railway people invented the chain automatic control.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-train change track