Md.

Shuboktagin
Divisional Engineer-1
Bangladesh Railway
Dhaka.
Mob: 01711-691559.

BANGLADESH RAILWAY is Government-owned and Government managed transportation agency

of the country. It covers a length of 2835 route kilometers managed by 27971 regular employee.
Some Historical moments about BR:15 Nov. 1862 : Construction of 53.11 Km of Broad Gauge line between Darsana and Jagati of Kushtia
District by Eastern Bengal Railway.
1985

: Construction of Dhaka-Mymensingh Railway section by Dhaka State Railway.

23 June-1998 : East-West Railway connectivity over the mighty river Jumana was established from
the
day one, the day of formal opening of Jamuna Mulipurpose Bridge, after completion of
construction of Broad Gauge track from Jamtoil to Ibrahimabad.
14 Aug-2003 : Direct Communication between Dhaka (Joydebpur) and Rajshahi over Jamuna
Mulipurpose Bridges was established by introducing first intercity passenger Train after
Completion of construction of new Dual Gauge track from Ibrahimabad to Joydebpur.
14 April-2008 : Direct Communication between Dhaka & Kolkata was established by introducing
``Maitree Expreess Train.
The network :
Bangladesh Railway has a total of 2,835 route kilometers. East Zone has 1,266 route
kilometrese of MG track and 34 route kilometer of DG track . West Zone has 535 route
kilometres of MG, 659 route kilomertres of BG and 375 route kilometres of DG track.
The total length of running track including track on double line. in the yards sidings is
3,974 kilometres . BG and MG indicate Broad Gauge (5-6 or 1676 mm) and Meter
gauge (33-3/8 or 1000 mm) respectively. The abbreviation DG indicates Dual
Gauge (Broad Gauge and Meter Gauge combined).
Route length by Civil Districts :
Bangladesh Railway is not connected with all the Civil Districts of the country. At the
end of 2007-2008 only 44 Civil District of the country could be connected by Railway.
Track Maintenance :
Sophisticated track maintenance methods are under active consideration of the railway
administration to replace conventional methods. Mechanical track lifting, slewing
tamping and laying machines have been introduced on Dhaka-Chittagong main line for
track maintenance. A track recording trolley car is in use.

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MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT WAY

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Complete overhauling
Maintenance of Earth Packed track
Through Packing
Picking up slacks
Track laid with steel through sleeper with mills jaws and two way keys
Maintenance of points and crossings
Gang strengths
Important points and connection with maintenance:-

a) The clearance of check rails at crossing and the gauge at points and crossing should be
constantly checked .
b) It is important to check rail gauge spirit levels & level boards on receipt from stores and before
issue to works.
c) The straightening and correct gauging of bent rails are important points and maintenance work.
d) To ensure proper packing, all ballast between the sleeper should be removed up to depth of
2inches below the bottom of the sleeper.
e) When lifting and packing a low joint, the three sleepers on either side of the joint should also
be opened packed.
Modern methods of maintenance of track
i) Mechanized Maintenance of track with the help of track machines
a) Of Track Tempers
b) Temping
ii) Measured shovel packing (MSP) using sophisticated equipment & gadgets
iii) Directed track maintenance (DTM) which is basically need based maintenance may also be
included in this category particularly if DTM is done by MSP.
a) Systematic maintenance
b) Packing up of slacks
c) Periodic maintenance works
d) Occasional Maintenance work
Stations :
Bangladesh Railway had a total of 440 stations. These include one block hut,
train halts and four goods booking points.

thirteen

Bridges :
There are a total 3,452 bridges of which 2,928 are minor and 524 are major ones. Foot
over bridges are provided in important cities and district towns.
Important Features of Hardinge Bridge:-Bridge No
- Total length of the Bridge
- Number of main span
- Number of land span
- Year of commencement of construction
- Year of completion of construction
work
- Estimated cost of construction

: 205 ( located in between Bhairamara-Paksey & at

km-194/15-196/14 from Khulna)
: 1.125 miles=5940ft.=1.81 km.
: 15 nos (Each span 360 ft. in length & 1250 tons in
weight.)
: 6 nos ( Each span 75 ft in length 7 3 spans at both
ends)
: 1910
: 1915
: Rs. 4.75 Core

- Formal inauguration code Harding viceroy of india on 04-03-1915

- Datum level
: 200ft. below M.S.L
- Reduced Level at top of rail over the Bridge
: 296 ft.
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Bridge Type:a) Types -1

I) Minor- Single span<40-0 or total span length <60-0

II ) Major -Single span>40-0 or total span length >60-0
III) Important-Span length >100-0 or declared by Chief Engineer.

b)Types-2

I)Deck Girder
II) Semi-through
III)Through
IV)Under-slung

c) Painting of bridge girder

I)

First coat: One gallon boiled linseed oil weight of 9 lbs. of dry red lead mixed
with one gallon boiled oil makes 1.33 gallons of paint which covers 900 sft.

II)

Second coat: 7 lbs red oxide paste mixed with one gallon boiled linseed oil makes
1.28 gallons of paint which covers 1368 sft.

d) Guard Rails:- On BG & MG Lines.

I)

Guard Rails should be provided on all bridges of 40 Ft. and above whether through or
semi-through, deck or R.C.C. Slabs. Thus 4x 10 Ft, 2x 20 Ft and 1x40 ft. Bridges
should be provided with guard rails. If the deck is of through plates guard rails need
not be provided.

II)

Inside Guard Rails of approved design shall be provided.

III)

Guard Rails already provided on smaller bridges shall be removed and utilized
elsewhere as and when necessary.

Level crossing gates :

Level crossings are provided on the railway line to pass the road traffic across the track.
As the road traffic passes at the same level as that of the railway track, the crossing is
termed as level crossing.
Classification of level crossings :
Level crossings can be classified in different categories
(i)

Special class : These are most busy type of level crossings for the road users. Most of the
busy level crossing on National High way are spl. class level crossings.

(ii)

`A Class : These are also busy level crossing for the road users.

(iii)

`B class : These level crossings are relatively less busy ones.

(iv)

`C class : These level crossings are mostly provided on un-metalled roads.

`D class : These level crossings are provided ofr cattle crossings and normally used by
cattle or pedestrians.
Bangladesh Railway has presently about 2541 (1413 Approved & 1128 Un-approved) level crossing
gates.
(v)

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Dimensions etc. for various class of crossing.

30 ft or 36 ft

A
24 ft

B
18 ft

C
15ft

Minimum width of gates at

right angels to the center line
of the road
3. Minimum distance of gate
posts from centre line for
meter gauge
4. Provision of wicket of gate
for foot passenger
5.(i) Light as observed by driver
of approaching trains
6. (a) (ii) Light as observed by
drivers of approaching trains
7. Interlocking of gates with
signals, or other protection
against train running through
a crossing when open to road
traffic .

24 ft or 30 ft

18 ft

12 ft

9ft

9ft 6 in.(BG)
8ft

9ft 6 in.(BG)
8ft

9.

Same as the rest of the road outside

the railway boundary

1.

Details
Minimum length of guard
rail (for a square crossing

2.

Formation width of road

surface outside gate

Special

To be provided, except whre foot

over bridge are provided
No light.
Red when gates closed across the
track
All gates if within station limit
shall be interlocked with station
signals or if out side station limit
with special signal provided at an
adequate distance on both sides of
the crossing except in special cases
under rules approved by the
government inspector of the
Bangladesh Railways

9ft 6 in
8ft

D
-

Remarks

6ft

9ft 6 in.
8ft

9ft 6 in.
8ft

same as for
special
No Light

same as for
special
No Light

Not to be
provided
No Light

Not to be
provided

same as for
special if within
station limit if
outside station limit
gate should be
coupled and a
warning bell,
controlled from the
adjacent station may
be provided
12 ft wider than the
metalling.

No special
provision to
be made
unless the
line is on a
curve and
the view is
obstructed

Same for
class

Not to be
provided
B

9 ft wider
than the
metalling.

15 ft

10 ft

Track Structure :
Main ingredients of rail track are Rail, Sleeper, Ballast, P-way fittings & Embankment (Sugrade
&Formation)
Rails : Rails are similar to steel girder. Functions of Rails :
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Continuous and level surface

Less friction.
Lateral guide.
It bears the stresses developed.
Transmitting the load to a large area of formation through sleepers and ballast.

Different types of rails used in BR: 50 lbs, 60-R, 75-R, 75-A & 90-A.
Defects in rail:
1) Wear & tear
2) Rail end batter.
3) Hogging of rails.
4) Scabbing of rails.
5) Wheel burns.
6) Rail fracture.

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Tests of rail
1) Chemical Composition
2) Mechanical Properties.
a) Falling weight test- No fracture or crack.
b) Tensile properties i) Minimum tensile strength-880 MPa ii) Minimum Elongation -8%.
c) Hardness properties- Brinell hardness limits of 285 mm.
3) Physical Properties:
a) Rail section profile
b) Rail Length.
c) End Squareness.
d) Straightness.
e) Weight.
2. Sleeper
sleeper are transverse ties on which the rails are laid. The main functions of sleeper are as follows:
(i) Holding rail to correct gauge and alignment.
(ii) Giving a firm a even Support to rails.
(iii) Transferring to load evenly from rails to wider area of the ballast
(iv) Acting as an elastic medium between the rails and the ballast to absorb the blows and vibration
of moving loads.
(v) Providing longitudinal and lateral stability to permanent way.
(vi) Providing means to rectify the track geometry during its service life.
Different types of Sleepers
The sleeper use on Bangladesh railway are:(i) wooden Sleeper(Ordinary & Special)
(ii) PC Sleeper,
(iii)Steel sleeper.
Size of Sleeper.
B.G. Sleeper = 9 x 10 x 5, M.G. Sleeper = 6 x 8 x 4.5
Test for wooden sleepers
i) Specific Gravity.
ii) Modulus of elasticity
iii) Maximum crushing strength
iv) Compressive strength at proportional limit
v) Hardness
vi) Shearing stress
vii) Tension Perpendicular grain
viii) Cleavage average
Sleeper test (Steel)
a) Laboratory test
(i) Sleeper Assembly
(ii) Toe load
(iii)Pulsating Test
(iv) Dynamic Load Test
(v) Welding Test
(vi) Chemical Composition Test
(vii)
Physical Test
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Test from PC Sleeper

i) Rail seat bending moment test
ii) Center moment test
iii) Rail seat repeated load test
iv) Ultimate load test
v) Fastening uplift test
vi) Fastening Repeated load test
vii) Lateral restraint test
viii) Longitudinal restraint test
ix) Sleeper pad test
x) Electrical resistance and impedance test
3. P-Way Fittings
a) Fish Plates
b) Combination of Fish Plate
c) Dog spike
d) Round Spike
e) Screw Spikes
h) Bearing Plates
i) Loose Jaws
j) Elastic Rail Clip
k) Rubber Pads
l)GFNL
k)Fish bolt
4. Ballast: Ballast is a layer of broken stone gravel etc.
Functions of Ballast
i) To provide a level and hard bed for the sleepers to rest on.
ii) To hold the sleepers in position during the passage of trains.
iii) To transfer to and distribute the load from sleepers to a large area of formation.
Size: In BR we use 1.5 to 2 sizes broken stone ballast.
Types of Ballast
(i) Sand Ballast
(ii) Moorum Ballast
(iii)Coal Ash or Cinder
(iv) Broken Stone Ballast,
Testing of Ballast:i) Mohs Hardness Test
ii) Mill Abrasion Test
iii) Magnesium sulphate soundness Test
iv) Bulk Specific gravity test
v) Ballast gradation
vi) Deleterious substances
Ballast cushion

6 To 8

-6-

5.Points And crossing:Parts of Points & crossings:

c) Switch Rails
d) Crossing
e) Splice Rails
f) Point Rails
g) wing Rails
h) Check Rails
i) Switch stop
j) Spherical Washers
k) Flat Bearing Plates
l) Tie Plates for crossing
m) Tie plates for switch
n) Heel blocks
Permissible wear in crossing :I) Main, branch and running lines in yards :- No crossing is to be changed which has less
1
vertical wear then in the wing rails on nose where speed is 40 miles per hour or
4
3
over, where speeds are under 40 miles per hour.
8
II) Sidings:- No Crossings is to be changed which has less vertical wear than

1
in the
2

rails or nose.
Different size of Points & crossing sleeper
(a) Crossing No- 1 in 12 (M.G), length 16-10 Drawing no- CE/E-5099
SI. No
Size
1.
6x8x5

No
8 Nos.

Quantity
13.33 Cft

2.
3.

6x10x5
7x8x5

1 Nos.
1 Nos.

2.08 Cft
32.66 Cft

4.
5.

8x8x5
9x8x6

9 Nos.
3 Nos.

19.99 Cft
7.50 Cft

6.
7.

9x10x5
10x10x5

2 Nos.
6 Nos.

6.25 Cft
20.83 Cft

8.

11x8x5

4 Nos.
47 Nos.

12.22 Cft
144.86 Cft

No
6 Nos.
1 Nos.
1 Nos.
6 Nos.
3 Nos.

Quantity
9.99 Cft
2.08 Cft
19.44 Cft
13.33 Cft
7.50 Cft

1 Nos.
5 Nos.
2 Nos.
3 Nos.
37 Nos.

3.12 Cft
17.36 Cft
7.63 Cft
9.16 Cft
89.61 Cft

(b) Crossing No- 1 in 8 (M.G) length 64-6 Drawing no- CE/E-5184

SI. No
Size
1.
6x8x5
2.
6x10x5
3.
7x8x5
4.
8x8x5
5.
9x8x5
6.
7.
8.
9.

9x10x5
10x10x5
11x10x5
11x8x5

-7-

(c) Crossing No- 1 in 12 (B.G) length 134-5 Drawing no- CE/E-5108

SI. No
Size
1.
9x10x5

No
10 Nos.

Quantity
31.25 Cft

2.

9x12x6

1 Nos.

4.50 Cft

3.

10x10x5

18 Nos.

62.49 Cft

4.

11x10x5

9 Nos.

34.37 Cft

5.

12x10x5

7 Nos.

29.16 Cft

6.

13x10x6

7 Nos.

37.92 Cft

7.

14x10x6

4 Nos.

23.33 Cft

8.

14x12x6

3 Nos.

21.00 Cft

9.

15x12x6

6 Nos.

45.00 Cft

10.

16x12x6

2 Nos.

16.00 Cft

11.

16x10x6

g) Scissors Crossover 1 in 12 (M.G) Length= 272-1 track CC = 16-6

SI. No
Size
1.
6x8x5
2.
6x10x5

4 Nos.

26.00 Cft

71 Nos.

331.68 Cft

No
32 Nos.
4 Nos.

Quantity
53.33 Cft
8.33 Cft

3.
4.

7x8x5
7x10x5

56 Nos.
4 Nos.

108.88 Cft
9.72 Cft

5.

8x8x5

32 Nos.

71.11 Cft

6.
7.

9x8x5
9x10x5

12 Nos.
8 Nos.

30.00 Cft
25.00 Cft

8.
9.

10x10x5
11x8x5

24 Nos.
24 Nos.

83.33 Cft
73.33 Cft

10.
11.

23x8x5
23x10x5

10 Nos.
27 Nos.

63.88 Cft
215.62 Cft

233 Nos.

742.53 Cft

h) DUAL GAUGE TURN OUT (1 in 8 ) length 96-9 drawing no- RH/PC-2512

SI. No
Size
No
1.
9x10x5
6 Nos.
2.
9x12x6
1 Nos.
3.
10x10x5
12 Nos.
4.
11x10x5
8 Nos.
5.
12x10x5
6 Nos.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

13x10x6
14x10x6
14x12x6
15x12x6
16x12x6
16x10x6

i) DUAL GAUGE TURN OUT (1 in 12 ) length 134-5

SI. No
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

3 Nos.
5 Nos.
2 Nos.
3 Nos.
3 Nos.
2 Nos.
51 Nos.

Quantity
18.75 Cft
4.50 Cft
41.66 Cft
30.55 Cft
24.99 Cft
16.21 Cft
29.16 Cft
14.00 Cft
22.50 Cft
24.00 Cft
13.33 Cft
239.68 Cft

1
drawing no- RH/PC-1853
8

Size
9x10x5
9x12x6
10x10x5
11x10x5
12x10x5
13x10x6
14x10x6
15x12x6
16x12x6
16x10x6
17x10x5

No
7 Nos.
1 Nos.
14 Nos.
11 Nos.
9 Nos.
7 Nos.
7 Nos.
6 Nos.
4 Nos.
2 Nos.
3 Nos.
71 Nos.

-8-

Quantity
21.87 Cft
4.50 Cft
48.60 Cft
42.00 Cft
37.49 Cft
40.83 Cft
40.83 Cft
45.00 Cft
32.00 Cft
11.11 Cft
17.70 Cft
339.01 Cft

Schedule of Dimensions
S.No
1.

General
Min.horixontal distance from centre of track to any
structure from rail level to 1 ft. above rail level
Min. horizontal distance from centre of track to any
structure, except a platform, from 1 ft. above rail level
to 14 ft. 6 inch above rail level
Max and Min. distance from centre of track to face of
passenger platform coping
Min Height above rail level for a high passenger
platform

Broad Gauge
5-6

Meter Gauge
4-6

7-0

6-3

56

6-3

Max 2-9
Min. 2-6

Max-1 -0

1-6
22

1-4
18-0

37

31-0

20-0

16-0

35-0

29-0

10.
11.
12.

Max height above rail level for low passenger platform

Minimum formation width in Embankment for Single
line
Minimum formation width in Embankment for Double
line
Minimum Formation width in cutting for Single line (
excluding side drains)
Minimum Formation width in cutting for double line (
excluding side drains)
Vertical Clearance for Flyover/Overpass for BG,MG
Curve:Max . degree of curvature

23-7

23-7

10

16

13.

Min. clearance of check rail for a curve

2.

3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

1
14.
15.

Level Crossing :Min. Clearance of check rail at a level crossing

16.

Max. clearance of check rail at a level crossing

17.

points & Crossing :-

19.

Max clearance of check rail opposite nose of crossing

21.

22.

23.

Min. clearance of check rail opposite nose of crossing

and at heel of switch rail

Min. clearance of wing rail at nose of crossing

-9-

Max. clearance of wing rail at nose of crossing

Min. clearance between toe of open switch and stock

rail

20.

Min. depth of space for wheel flange from rail level

18.

- 10 -