Coal Creek - Railroad Tracks

Train Tracks
by Carrington, Grade 3

Did you know that train tracks were invented over 2000 years ago?
There are three parts to a rail: the head, web and base.

The rail sits on wooden ties on the road bed. Rocks and gravel are used for ballast between the ties. The ballast holds the ties in place and provides good drainage so the tracks don't get flooded. The plate that holds the track down onto the tie is called the fishplate. Spikes hold the fishplate onto the tie. There are different sizes of fishplates and spikes. Fishplates have evolved over the years and so have the spikes.

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