Train Driver Track and Infrastructure Knowledge 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard gauge rail width used on most US mainline railroads?
- 4 feet 8.5 inches (Correct answer)
- 5 feet 0 inches
- 4 feet 6 inches
- 5 feet 3 inches
Correct answer: 4 feet 8.5 inches
Standard gauge in the United States is 4 feet 8.5 inches, the distance between the inner faces of the two rails.
Question 2: What is 'superelevation' on a curved railroad track?
- The raising of the outer rail above the inner rail to counteract centrifugal force (Correct answer)
- The height of the track above sea level
- The difference in elevation between two consecutive grade changes
- The banking of a turnout to increase switching speed
Correct answer: The raising of the outer rail above the inner rail to counteract centrifugal force
Superelevation raises the outer rail on curves to counteract the outward centrifugal force and allow safer higher-speed operation.
Question 3: What does a 'diamond crossing' refer to in railroad infrastructure?
- An at-grade intersection where two railroad tracks cross each other (Correct answer)
- A grade crossing with four-quadrant gate protection
- A special turnout used for high-speed track changes
- A crossing equipped with flangeway fillers for pedestrians
Correct answer: An at-grade intersection where two railroad tracks cross each other
A diamond crossing is a fixed track structure where two separate railroad lines cross at grade, creating a diamond shape.
Question 4: What is a 'frog' in railroad trackwork?
- The V-shaped casting at a turnout that allows wheel flanges to cross the intersecting rail (Correct answer)
- A portable rerailing device used after derailments
- A type of grade crossing surface material
- The spring mechanism in a switch point
Correct answer: The V-shaped casting at a turnout that allows wheel flanges to cross the intersecting rail
A frog is the track component at a turnout where two rails cross, allowing wheels to pass through the intersection of the diverging routes.
Question 5: What does FRA Track Class 4 allow in terms of maximum operating speed for passenger trains?
- 80 mph (Correct answer)
- 60 mph
- 110 mph
- 90 mph
Correct answer: 80 mph
FRA Track Class 4 permits a maximum passenger train speed of 80 mph under 49 CFR Part 213.
Question 6: What is a 'siding' in railroad operations?
- A secondary track parallel to the main track used for meeting or passing trains (Correct answer)
- A dead-end track used for storing equipment
- A yard track used exclusively for classification
- A service track adjacent to a station platform
Correct answer: A secondary track parallel to the main track used for meeting or passing trains
A siding is a track that branches off the main line, allowing trains to meet or pass each other without using the main track.
Train Driver Track and Infrastructure Knowledge 1
What is the standard gauge rail width used on most US mainline railroads?