A single track railway is one where traffic in both directions shares the same track. In the early days of railways, especially before the telegraph, operation of significant numbers of trains on a single track railway was fraught with difficulties, including delays and accidents, particularly head-on collisions.
Railway track layouts | |
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Running lines | Single track • Passing loop • Double track • Quadruple track |
Rail sidings | Balloon loop • Headshunt • Rail yard • Classification yard |
Junctions | Flying junction • Level junction • Double junction • Facing and trailing • Grand union • Wye • Railroad switch • Swingnose crossing • Level crossing |
Stations | Side platform • Island platform • Bay platform • Split platform • Terminal station • Balloon loop • Spanish solution • Cross-platform interchange |
Hillclimbing | Horseshoe curve • Zig Zag / Switchback • Spiral |