Function of Sleepers

The main functions of sleepers are as follows:

1. It holds the rail to correct gauge and alignment.
2. It gives firm and even support to the rails.
3. It transfer the load in a uniform way from rails to area of ballast.
4. It acts as an elastic medium between rails and the ballast to absorb the blows and vibrations of moving load.
5. It provides longitudinal and lateral stability to the permanent way.

Note:

1. If rail sections are not being supported evenly and firmly, then they will sink into the ballast cushion.
2. If sleepers are not elastic then the deformation will keep on increasing and finally
   the track will become irregular in shape.

Wooden Sleepers

• It is the most ideal type of sleeper and with passage of time its utility has not decreased.
• There are two categories of wooden sleepers

1. Hardwood sleepers → Sal, Teak etc.
2. Soft wood sleepers → Deodar, Chir etc.

Advantages of wooden sleeper

1. Cheap and easy to manufacture,
2. Very useful for heavy loads and high speed trains,
3. Absorbs shocks and dampens vibrations properly,
4. Can be handled easily without damage,
5. Alignment can be corrected easily,
6. Can be used with or without ballast,
7. Most suitable for track circuiting, and
8. Suitable in the areas having yielding formation

Disadvantages of wooden sleepers

1. Do not maintain the gauge accurately,
2. Easily develop cracks with beater packing,
3. Susceptible to fire hazards,
4. It has lesser life due to wear, decay and attack by vermins, and
5. Scrap value is low.

• The size of sleepers for B.G, M.G. and N.G. as well as their bearing area per sleeper is as follows:

• Wooden sleepers required for bridges and points and crossings are of thicker section.
  viz. 10″ × 6″ or 10″ × 7″

<< Previous | Next >>
Must Read: What is Railway Engineering?