How do trains change the tracks?

Trains are able to change the their trajectory with just a slight adjustment of the rail track. This clever switching design is achieved with a simple trick on the wheel and track. In this video we will also learn about rail crossing, wing rail and check rail. Let's take a closer look at how it works!
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Voice over artist : www.fiverr.com/voiceonthemove

[@rajeevm1989]

This is a question that has bugged me for years and is finally answered in a most elegant way. Thank you Sabin. You've earned a subscriber!

[@manuelp7472]

Welcome!

[@miroslavmilosevic6862]

Super video 💪👍👊👌🎖️🏆❤️

[@HeidenLam]

Same, I have been questioning this for quite a while

[@Woastanovkize]

Fun fact the machines that switch the tracks can be heard from hundreds of feet away and often switch the track half an hour before the next train travels on it. You can figure out where the next train will go just by looking at it. This is one of the skills I picked up as a train hopper.

[@sonalkumari6913]

⁷⁷

[@bbsrkishan1093]

I have travelled so many times in train....always think about this mechanism how it actually works?..this video explains everything....thank u...

[@sintudas1828]

Yes

[@StrangerHappened]

*Not quite everything.* What will happen if the switching parts of the rails will be somehow stuck in an in-between position?

[@arjunkulshrestha78]

@@StrangerHappened Good point, any feedback mechanism can be place here to find out the proper positioning of switching part, then this problem can be eliminated Or may be there would be some kind of solution for this already which is not covered in this video.

[@user-xo8wh4dg6y]

What software do you used to make this video

[@lukeyong1180]

@@StrangerHappened If that happens, a speed code of 0/0 will be imposed and a red signal will be shown at the signalling light preceding the affected section, preventing any train movement into the section. If I am not wrong the tongue rail will be locked in either position, otherwise it will cause the above to happen.

[@DD-me1ki]

Even if you don’t understand English, you can understand it by looking at the schematic diagram. Very detailed, thank you

[@JustSilen]

I absolutely love how easy this was to understand. Moreover, whenever a question popped into my head, for example, about the crossing section being without gaps, the video continues to smoothly transition into explaining that without overburdening the viewer with all the information at once.

[@shehbadani5902]

As a rail tech myself, the presentation is guite good. The current mechanism would be more complex due to the need for high speed through the switches, the gap is handled with another switch. So the wheel is smoothly pass through at high speed. And also the steering mechanism which consists of several lever on the boogie and its cone shape wheel keep the train inside the track while making a turn. Its fascinating watching these awesome tech..

[@FelineRaptor-gv4te]

how are the tongue rails bent? if they are made with iron, how do they bend like that?

[@ydl6832]

@@FelineRaptor-gv4te heat it up, then it gets flexible 😂

[@FelineRaptor-gv4te]

@I know Cause I'm BatMan. oh, now i get it. but wouldn't it have required a lot of strength when it was done manually in the olden times.

[@adityamaurya2177]

@@FelineRaptor-gv4te man it placed in such position that is suitable for and probably power driven by motor on this work should might be sufficient for it.

[@jamesschrader9011]

@@FelineRaptor-gv4te The torque provided by the huge lever they pulled, would have made it significantly easier to manipulate the tongues. It was probably still decently heavy even with that though.

[@ExpertBustice]

Extreme props for correcting flange mistake. That attention to deal is what I'm subbed for

[@WuppertalerWanderWade]

What mistake? I was confused, because I saw this video yesterday and now I got it shown as a new upload

[@tylerrhoads1205]

The little addendum added at 0:42

[@paulhenty]

The original video said that the flanges were always in contact with the rail. This was wrong. They are a last resort. The main reason the wheels stay on the rails is their conical shape. The animation clearly shows this shape but it's never mentioned in the narration.

[@Boss_Tanaka]

@@paulhenty when the flange touches the rail, it makes high pitch hissing noises. It happens on a regular basis on short radius curves. To minimize the wear, oil is spread on the flange or/and the inner side of the rail by sprinklers.They have to be set properly, nobody wants oil on top of the rail

[@lucitirziu8830]

@@Boss_Tanaka fhuu

[@gidr2398]

It's such a great feeling when you understand how some everyday things work that you wouldn't have the chance to know otherwise!

[@Crazytesseract]

By observation you can understand.

[@deepakchaurasia3201]

This is beyond words. I always had difficulty in visualising all these mechanisms despite reading the theory several times. Millions of thanks to you for making this animation with a nice explanation as well. Thank you so much for this.

[@aftermath7]

My respect for the engineers is increasing day by day

[@gamingwithxerxes2013]

Same bhai kya dimaag lgaate h ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Ptc_Alfo_788]

@@gamingwithxerxes2013 wtf? bro are you gay?

[@Anthonyt3]

Thank you so much

[@adityamaurya2177]

@@gamingwithxerxes2013 aur Bhai India mein keval memes banate h engineers pe ki engineer can do everything except engineering lekin ye nhi sonchte ki traiin plane helicopter vehicle space center roads even. High building engineers se hi chalta h

[@santulsalwan5410]

@@Ptc_Alfo_788 grow up heart ka sign sirf sexual love nhi hota kabhi apni ma ya baap ko nhi bheja kya?

[@pizzlesauce]

Its amazing how even somewhat simple things like this have been invented by the human mind. Great progress and ingenuity here!

[@PD-dj7cu]

It is called iterative development. Nobody invents these things at one go. First they built tracks for wheels and then expanded on the concept. Railroads aided European revolution, colonization and the world wars. These aren't cutting edge modem inventions.

[@Ezio470]

those are simple concepts compare to what we actually have now. i.e: airplanes.... learning how it all works together would probably end you some degree and a job in the aviation sector :P

[@Crazytesseract]

Who designed human beings, their mind, their brain etc.? If it is random chance, you cannot give credit to human beings (then ultimately life has no meaning). If it is God, you must give greater credit to God, because of God being the ultimate cause.

[@KLK01]

It’s called trial and error.

[@youzhou3001]

Simplicity is the complicated part of engineering

[@HowdyHartholz]

I'm one of those operators in germany and I really like the video. It's a really simple but well explanation for laypeople and at the same time 100% accurate!

[@XaxtonRevolution2]

How come they don’t put a crossing nose between the stationary parts of the tongue track for when the train goes backwards?

[@sourabhchoudhary1049]

Believe me or not, During my childhood I was so obsessed with trains that I understood this mechanism at a very young age, only by looking at the trains crossing the tracks.

[@imran2.050]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaWWdamopdB2pJY

[@electronx5594]

eyy same, i used to play by the railway, theres a lane changing mechanism nearby the station so i can observe the mechanism closely

[@rocket_lake69]

Sam3

[@hazri8758]

Same. I used to go to the local train station every Sunday just to see how it works.

[@virtualbro8571]

Divided by distance untied by railways.....#just as it should be

[@rishabhdubey374]

I understood the bendable tongue track part at a young age but always wondered about the fixed tongue track part. I used to think at that small point, the train can easily detail and maybe we just have to live with that part being very high risk because we don't have any better track changing mechanism. From this video I learnt about the rail check which make it basically impossible for the wheels to turn the other way and derail. It satisfied years old curiosity that I had since I was a child. Thank you!

[@Crazytesseract]

Bon jour! You win a prize of 100 Pandrol clips for your comment! The sack will be sent to you in 2 months. -for President, Pandrol S.A., France.

[@vijaysinghchauhan7079]

What a blessing to live in this generation. I'm in my early 20's. Thank you for the animation with the coherent audio.

[@arwahsapi]

Props to engineers, the unsung heroes of our days.

[@pharaohakhneton9553]

I have retired from Indian Railways service. So, naturally I am still curious to learn newer things about the functioning of the rail organization. On many occasions I watched the trains changing tracks.I was curious to know how it was done. You have explained the whole process in a simple manner. I hope to know more and more about the technical side of the working of railways in future.

[@samthomas9468]

I worked at Western Railway

[@SALESENGLISH2020]

Great explanation with fascinating animations--almost real. I like that you ask questions once a while and make the viewer think how to solve design problems. There are 100s of lectures and videos, but students just passively watch.

[@erdalozcan4089]

Mi piko

[@erdalozcan4089]

P

[@erdalozcan4089]

0

[@imran2.050]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaWWdamopdB2pJY

[@munilalmandal4229]

@@imran2.050 💩💩💩💩🚽🚽💩🚽 💩🚽🚽🚽🚽💩💩💩 💩💩💩💩🚽🚽💩🚽 💩🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽 💩🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽🚽 🏃🚄💨💨💨 coming! 🏃🚄

[@arijitroy2420]

I understood this mechanism (only the track switching and the junction crossing) at the age of 11 for traveling in local trains many times. 🙂 Just feeling very happy that Lesics made a video on it. 😁😁😁

[@sourinbasu5277]

It's amazing to know that so many things take place in split seconds at very high speeds to let trains switch tracks safely. My respect for engineering is growing everyday with your videos!

[@shih-haowang4788]

Now I know the technology behind the trolley problem! The design has to be robust so that the problem is valid. Thank you!

[@ashrafhassan6610]

Every time I think I know everything > > > I discover that I only know a little !!!!! Thanks for this clear and interesting video.

[@charchiitgupta3032]

It has been years how this works and now finally, i got to know it's working. Really enjoyed...

[@jamesneilsongrahamloveinth1301]

As trains pass over points, massive forces are applied to the rail elements, day in day out. It always amazes me that the structure survives this onslaught and metal fatigue seems to be rare . . .

[@user-kj4ky8ns2x]

I was thinking about this mechanics since my childhood and no one ever explain me even snippet idea about this also with this much ease, and honestly this gave a clear picture about how whole mechanics works.. video was very informative thank you

[@imran2.050]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaWWdamopdB2pJY

[@Marketmasters02]

*I found this channel randomly; it is really a channel that produces quality content. Congratulations*

[@cyruswong._.2809]

I'm pretty sure that Thomas and Friends Fans knew how this works

[@weddwedd6305]

Wowww finally someone with great commonsense skills can break this millions dollars question for everyone who been curious about this for years!!!👍👍

[@fahaddotkhan]

I have always wondered how this track mechanism works, and many railroad people have tried to explain it, but this is the simplest and easiest way to understand how it works.

[@ScienceSeekho]

When I was kid I used to watch track so carefully during my train journey that I understood all the mechanism when I was kid. Also later when I completed my engineering got to work in a Indian railway maintainance facility.

[@shraddhashukla4681]

How many of u r here after balasore coromandel tragedy.....well as per the primary investigation...the switch of coromandel track was not changed to main line and hence the train entered the loop line and hit the freight train...

[@maninahole]

My parents bought me a Hornby train set when I was 10. You took 6 minutes to explain what I learned in 15 seconds with my train set.

[@nickchristie2221]

Agree. Same with Lego trains

[@adwaith6991]

When I Was Young I Had This Question. After So Many Years It I s Clear Thank You KZbin For Recommending This To Me

[@akahito8053]

My dad works in the railways so I got to learn this at a very young age, but seeing this mechanism with animations is really amazing

[@shamanjitsingh7267]

Mine also.

[@FelineRaptor-gv4te]

how are the tongue rails bent? if they are made with iron, how do they bend like that?

[@akahito8053]

@@FelineRaptor-gv4te with enough force anything would bend. Also the bend is exaggerated in the animation its just a little bit and the metal can handle it.

[@FelineRaptor-gv4te]

@@akahito8053 oh ok

[@meet560]

@@akahito8053 Where are you from buddy

[@yerald_a]

It never occurred to me that the tongue tracks actually bent to achieve switching! I thought they were just moving laterally from a closed to open position, not deforming. It always blows my mind when engineers utilize the plasticity of otherwise stiff materials to achieve the needed mechanics. It's so creative, and also requires balancing the added stress and risk of eventual failure of the complaint mechanism and the simplicity gained against the lower risk of material failure but increased complexity of a stiff mechanism.

[@Gaurav_P]

I work as an engineer in Signal department of Indian Railway & its our one of most important gear. But yes it can be said as Joint Venture of Signal Dept & P Way dept (Rail Line or Track dept). Rail line related items maintained by P Way & connection from machine, all the connections for movement as well as electrically & circuit overlooked by us & thatswhy it is always centre of dispute between these 2 departments of railway. Its very very sensitive equipment mechanically, where even a millimetre matters & having very complex circuitry. Mind blowing equipment but labyrinth.🤩 Thanks to lesics, even my basics improved. 😊

[@user-sj9xq6hb9p]

This is far the best 3d animation instruction video on rail switching

[@nileshsaonerkar9280]

I am working in indian railways as a trackmainters very helpful and knowledgeable information for me and every us 😊

[@alaaeldinhelou6190]

As a railway engineer myself. This is very well explained. Thank you and well done!

[@Charlie_Waffles]

same here.. i drive passenger trains in germany :D but not the fast shown one which is our highspeed train ^^

[@darkdigger15]

This is so cool. I actually write software for a company that monitors the output of the switches, but I have never seen a switch in action with this much detail. Very good explanation! Nou my graphs make a little more sense to me!

[@Mircea020]

Came across this video randomly. The animations and narrating were very nice.

[@yamantiwari1740]

Lesics please make a separate video on the working function of Diesel and Electric locomotive. Thank you 👍👍👍

[@oscarfoxman785]

A Diesel engine turns an alternator, which produces 2000 amperes of electricity, which goes to a set of electric motors on the wheels, known as traction motors. You’re welcome.

[@yamantiwari1740]

@@oscarfoxman785 I understood, Thank you 👍👍👍

[@oscarfoxman785]

@@yamantiwari1740 you should watch “Extreme Trains” on the History Channel. It’ll give a better look into the topic.

[@almerindaromeira8352]

3:40 High Speed Rail has another moving part to ensure a continuous rail surface. The frog (the point where the rails intersect) is also flexible and is linked to the switch. It is more expensive but also smoother.

[@sublivion5024]

Not just high speed rail. There are a few even on the London Underground.

[@imran2.050]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaWWdamopdB2pJY

[@mbo191]

They also have a moveable frog at one location in the Metro in Stockholm Sweden (Västra Skogen). / B.

[@sublivion5024]

@@mbo191 I am aware that there is 1 swingnose crossing (in the UK we call the frog a nose) on the Piccadily line which rarely exceeds 40 mph

[@mbo191]

@@sublivion5024 - The swingnose in Stockholm goes backwards in to a siding with a Stop buffer at the end, max speed is 10 kph (6 mph). When you are heading Northbound on the mainline it's a trailing point so I have no idea why they put it there. / B.

[@SukhenSharma]

Very impressed by how simply this mechanism is explained in this video. Great job guys

[@newhope5729]

Wow 🤩 What an awesome video.... Amazingly explained

[@taconator1213]

I love how clever these devices are, wow!

[@thinktrovert]

Wow! thanks for this awesome animation.. I clearly understood the mechanism.

[@nobbo3760]

Damn!!! I had to find all of these by myself watching the rail tracks. I am glad that I got everything right.

[@alm5992]

Thank you! I always wondered what the "wing" rails were for, and now I feel dumb for not realizing! It's simple xD

[@ancient_mitranz]

I have been travelling on them now for about 15 years.... and I would have still continued thinking about this mechanism.... Guess I would never find it out.... But thanks to this video

[@2010sunshine]

What a meticulous and failproof design and operation! We hardly think about the nuances when we travel by train. Thanks for explaining.

[@iamneeleshk]

KZbin is a revolution. Years ago, these things used to be taught only in colleges without any kind of visualisation. Such a good explanation this is. Thank you!

[@ricorobert2848]

Finally after a years, KZbin recommended me this video, thx. Such a great advice.

[@TL-ng1wm]

Beautifully done. Animation and narration are really good.

[@malikumerfarooq5414]

This is a very informative video. by watching this video I have cleared a lot of concepts about turning of trains on the crossing point. thank you very much Lesics for making this awesome video.

[@Rk-fx1gm]

Explanation of the mechanism happens to be excellent I have come to know about the unknown features, Thank you very much.

[@pierre-rose7783]

I've understood how this works all my life, but I love the illustration !

[@chrisipad4425]

Great video, I never thought rail tracks would be so interesting!

[@Accept_Any_Bribe]

Wait. Ive seen this before

[@Soumik_Banerjee.]

Best video ever on Railway track mechanism ❤

[@alifahsan68]

This explanation can't get more perfect than this. And that's a fact.

[@ASB2790]

I feel excited just by knowing these things. I wonder how someone feels when they invent something like this.

[@SnehaSharma-ps9rj]

Have always wondered about it, since I was child. Thank you this was so informative and easy to understand, :)

[@leet37a9]

I've been trying to wonder how it works, thanks to KZbin recommending you to me at 8:30 Am, I was finally enlightened.

[@egakuro6145]

I wondered how these worked, I mean I knew the basics, but I still found new things in this explanation. Great

[@tld8102]

is this a re-uploaded video?

[@helloakshat123]

Simplicity and nice visuals are key for understanding. You are amazing in explaining things easily with both. Thanks.

[@VJ-on5sl]

I was scratching my head so long with those gaps on the track… thank you for explaining in a simple way

[@SimpleNix1993]

Best illustrated tutorial I've found

[@illfatedgoodheart4951]

This channel explains every interesting engineering invention so nicely that I hardly miss any video of this channel. What a great way to learn these interesting topics.

[@geraldineheimy7748]

My husband is a railroad engineer and told me how it works, we also have trains under the Christmas tree and he’s playing with my 2 year old grandson he’s molding my grandson at the early age, sometimes I wonder when is he gonna be tired of trains.

[@dipsetny9291]

THANK YOU 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏!!! I watched at least 5 different videos trying to explain how track switching works and this was explained perfectly. I can’t believe I actually understand it. The engineering behind this is actually genius. Damn thank you again!!!🙏🙏🙏

[@Fahim.Khan33]

Didn’t get bored the whole time…amazingly explained…

[@atharva4180]

Sir, was this video uploaded yesterday too?

[@dearthworm]

Good video. I find the engineering and physic of trains/tracks interesting. Another video idea would be the physics of how train wheels are conical and for the most part stay on the rails using geometry rather than relying on the wheel flange, which is just a safety device. Also another video I'd like to see would the physics of how the rail tracks and sleepers stay in place. Rail sleepers are just bedded in crushed rock (called ballast). I don't understand how the massive weight and inertia of trains don't push the rails and their sleepers out of place. I've asked this question on Reddit but noone was able to give a satisfactory answer. Also how rails deal with heat expansion/contraction - why miles of train rails don't pop out of place on a hot day due to expansion.

[@arcticwo1fee122]

The massive weight of the trains really do push the sleepers quite a bit. From what I have seen up to 8 inches. It isn't just the sleepers moving, its the ballast moving with the sleepers. Overtime the crushed rock gets crushed by the sleepers creating a compressed rock footing for the sleepers. The rails are not just normal steel because as you said it would just expand and ruin the whole rail. The rails are stretched after being made, this allows for the expansion to expand into itself because it starts at negative expansion allowing it to expand within itself and not actually expanding the legnth of the rail.

[@FelineRaptor-gv4te]

@@arcticwo1fee122 the bolt holes are not circular [in rail joints] they are oval like, and there is a slight gap in between joints, so there is little space for expansion, we learnt this in our physics class

[@varunupadhyay9890]

bro you are right Rails and sleepers always moves slightly while a train moves over it and it is called creep. there are various reasons behind it like, wave theary, Inertia, bracking, acceleration. and in a certain time maintenance department, maintain the right angle between Rails and Sleepers for security reasons. Nd second thing expansion and contraction takes place in rails that's why we provide Expansion and contraction joints after the every 12.78 meter length of a rails by fish plate and fish bolts.

[@JTMitchAustralia]

I always thought it was more complicated but really it’s that simple!

[@NuthanPrasanna]

simple yet brilliant. can we take a moment and appreciate all those engineers who have painstakingly solved seemingly simple problems with years of hard work and innovation. beautiful explanation by Lesics.

[@railmeetsroad8252]

This is well presented. Please be aware that names change from region to region and railroad to railroad. For example in the Midwest the tongue tracks are commonly referred to as points (the section that gets replaced) and the switching rods are often called bridle rods.

[@SammyBR99]

Didn't you post this yesterday?

[@somakun1806]

I've always wondered how train switching work. This video clarify everything

[@sudiptodas3896]

Explained perfectly. Awesome work guys

[@s001b]

Now I can die in peace

[@subBGT]

Reupload?

[@buttpark5336]

Loving trains is Childhood memories.

[@shahriarahmed728]

Superb & complete explanation... answers all relevant question in my sense, couldn't have been better..!!

[@DevAcharya]

Reuplaoded ??!!!

[@justhereforfun100]

Are these design pointers valid for monorails as well? Or just standard trains?

[@ikriestiana]

Yes its juat standard train monorail use turntabe

[@wovelscotch]

I have zero clue what the people replying to you are trying to say. No. These are not the same principles of monorail switching since the tracks/wheels are fundamentally different.

[@Polar3X]

Finally ! The video i have been waiting to come as a recommendation ! I am thinking about this for like 10 years. Since I drive the Sbahn in Germany. This is great. Thx Never searched for it tho 😂

[@crsaif]

what a masterpiece of engineering...

[@geniusandmad]

Is it reuploaded or I have just time travelled.

[@junejuly532]

A train doesn't need a steering wheel, the rails steer the train.

[@imran2.050]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaWWdamopdB2pJY

[@pyromite38]

Well explained, easy to understand, no stalling or worthless info, great pacing. Thank you, this was a pleasant watch.

[@user-gv3td2hw6z]

어릴 적부터 궁금해했던 게 6분 만에 말끔히 해결됨. 압도적 감사!

[@mihirchandran]

This video didn't talk about how merging trains can derail if the track switch is set to the wrong position.

[@justinelloydsupat4151]

Re-upload

[@tushargupta1968]

Thankyou for uploading this video, I got to know something new today.

[@sayaligawade7782]

Ohh the video I've been searching for year's... thank you

[@arunnakv]

Is any one Have Deja Vu with this video...

[@ExpertBustice]

He made a common mistake about how the flange functions. It doesn't contact the rail unless it absolutely has to; if it constantly contacted the rail it would cause undue friction and prematurely wear out the wheel or cause an accident.

[@lindsayharps3494]

If you don't find a means of multiplying money, you will wake up one day to realise that the money you thought you had, has exhausted. Investment is a ladder to climb the financial wall.

[@zychenkonicholas9923]

I agree with you mate. Investment is also a bridge to creating financial longevity. And not just any investment but an investment with assured return because there are investment that offers no returns.

[@richardscottfield6417]

Most failures and loss on Investment usually happens when you invest without proper guide, assistance and clear analysis of the profit and risk percentage of the Investment.

[@RebeccaAClark]

So how do you get your proper guide and the analysis you mentioned? Because I have incurred huge losses while investing by myself

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it's best to have an investment manager* who has well acquainted knowledge about Investment, to help you earn from your Investment on your behalf while you oversee the Investment growth, having hundred percent access to your portfolio.

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For me, I am benefiting from the service of Mrs Roy Kheler, who is my investment manager* . her services assures you interest, daily and weekly.

[@theauggieboygamer9148]

If you’ve ever been on a train you might’ve noticed that as you pass over a track switch you hear a “ga-dunk ga-dunk… ga-dunk ga-dunk” regardless of which way the train goes, that is the sound of the wheels passing over that gap

[@cherryt6853]

4:39 now I understood the functionality of 'check rails' thank you very much 🙏