REPORT OF EDUCATIONAL VISIT

TO
RAILWAY STATION, RENIGUNTA JUNCTION

CIVIL ENGINEERING

DATE:-12 FEB 2018

OBJECTIVE: to verify and supplement information presented in the self-study report.
To observed different activities and techniques carried out on site.

INTRODUCTION:
The Department of Civil Engineering of IIT Tirupati organized educational visit,”
Renigunta junction” for Transportation engineering students to study different aspects of
Railway Engineering
The visit was organized with the prior permission and under the guidance of honorable
Dr. Krishna Prapoorna (transportation engineering), Dr. Janaki Ramaiah (geotechnical
engineering) and Ph.D. students.
Students left the IIT Campus for visit on 12 Feb 2018 at 3:00 pm. Students carefully
studied and observed the different Parts of Railway Track, Rails, Sleepers, Ballast, Station
and Points, Crossings, Turnouts with their operations.
RENIGUNTA JUNCTION:

Regional rail, Light rail, Commuter rail and Goods railway station

Location Renigunta, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh

India

13°39′N 79°31′E
Coordinates

Elevation 113 m (371 ft)

Line(s) Gudur-Katpadi Branch line, Mumbai-Chennai line

Platforms 5

Construction

Structure type Standard (on ground station)

 Other information

Status Functioning

Station code RU

Zone(s) South Central Railway

Division(s) Guntakal

Electrified Yes

Location

Renigunta Junction railway station

Location in Andhra Pradesh

First, the entire visitor met with Mr. Ramesh and station master after than all of us went to see the railway
tracks and their components. Students learned from this are following:

1. Signal system:-
Signalling consists of the system, devices, and means by which trains are operated efficiently
and tracks are used to a maximum extent, maintaining the safety of passengers. It includes the
use and working of signals, points, block instrument and other equipment.

http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-signal5.html
 OBJECTIVES OF SIGNALING: -
• To provide facilities for the efficient movement of trains.
• To ensure safety between two or more trains which cross or approach each other’s path.
• To provide facilities for maximum utility track.
• To guide the movement of the train during maintenance and repair.

http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-signal2.html

Various instruments like Battery in red and green colors light flag, etc. are used for providing
signals to move trains.
Sr.no Colour of flag/light Meaning of signals
1 Red flag/light STOP
2 Green flag/light PROCEED
3 Yellow light PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY
Location characteristics
In view of position where the signals are located, they can be divided into following
categories:
1) Reception signals: The signals which control the reception of trains into a station are called
reception signals.
• Departure signals: The signals which control the dispatch of trains from the station are
known as departure signal

https://www.slideshare.net/VimalTripathi4/indian-railway-signal-system-ppt
2. Turnout:-
It is connection system which is used to divert the train from one track to another track. If
the train is diverted to the right-hand side, it is known as right-hand turnout. On the other
hand, if the train is diverted to the left-hand side, it is known as left-hand side turnout.
Turn out operated by physical method and electrically operated mechanism

Electrical switch, Renigunta junction

http://www.rail-fastener.com/Rail-Turnout.html
3) Rail gauge:-
The clear horizontal distance between the top of the inner faces of two rails on the railway
track is called as “rail gauge”.

The Common Gauges Used By Indian Railways:

1) Broad Gauge (B.G.)

2) Meter Gauge (M.G.)

3) Narrow Gauge (N.G.)

At Renigunta station there is a use of Broad Gauge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Railways

Factors Affecting Selection of Gauge:

• Funds Availability: For the railway project.

• Cost of Construction.
• The volume of Traffic: Heavy or light.
• Revenue Generation: Whether a prospect is more or less.
• Intensity of Population: Thick or thin population.
• Topography
• Prospect of Future Development.
4) Rails:

The trains run on the vertical I-sections made up of steel and these sections are called as
rails. The rails are fixed with each other by means of rail fastenings and are rested on
sleepers which are laid at right angles to them. The rail section consists of three
components viz. head, web, and foot.

Depending upon these three components of rail section, there are three types of rails.

Double Headed

http://www.engineeringarticles.org/what-is-rails-definition-types-of-rails/

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rail_profile
In Renigunta junction the type of rail is flat-footed rail.

Flat-footed rail, Renigunta junction

5) Rail fastenings:

Rail fastenings are the tools which are used to connect rails to sleepers, joining one rail to
other rails.

Types of Rail Fastenings

• Fish Plates

• Spikes

• Bolts

• Chairs And Keys

• Bearing Plates

Fish plate
Spikes

Dog spikes Screw spikes

https://www.slideshare.net/Khusro_khan/presentation-on-indian-railway

Bolts

https://www.ez2rail.com/hardware/track-bolts

6) Sleepers:
Railway sleeper is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks. Generally laid
perpendicular to the rails, ties transfer loads to the track ballast and subgrade, hold the rails
upright, and keep them spaced to the correct gauge.

Concrete sleepers
In Renigunta Junction, the concrete sleeper is used in Railway track. Which is most widely
used sleeper.

7) Ballast:
The material placed in-between the sleeper and the top of the formation is known as a ballast.
The load from wheels of train ultimately comes to ballast through rails and sleepers. it is a
foundation of railway track and it is placed just below the sleepers.

Railway Ballast in the form of aggregate

8) Traffic control room:-

After than entire visitors went to traffic control room of Renigunta station under the
guidance of Mr. Ramesh and station master of Renigunta station. There are they control
traffic of train.

This picture gives information of all the rail track of Renigunta junction
The big control display is called Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) and is used to ensure that no
two trains end up on the same track at the same time.
The guy in control room communicates with the engine driver indirectly through signals.
Unlike plane pilots who actually talk to air traffic control for landing, take-off, route
instructions etc. The control room sets the route from the cabin; signal and speed limit board
along the track indicate to the engine driver what route had been set for them.
The engine driver had no control over di tank to take the train to or even to start and stop.
They just follow what signal tells them.

image : traffic control room, Renigunta junction

Conclusion:
Now students able to visualize all the concept was taught in the class and learned how
they control the traffic of train and the function of all types of rail track.

Feedback:
A site visit was very successful. Students could study different components of Railway
and could see different operations such as Changing Track etc. The station is very nearby to
College and it is very helpful to correlate Theory and Practical Applications. We are
extremely thankful to Dr. Krishna Prapoorna sir and Dr. Janaki Ramaiha and Mr. Ramesh
and Station for who kindly guided students and demonstrated all the operations.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renigunta_Junction_railway_station