Switches. Crossings. Crossovers.Switches enable vehicles to pass from one track to another without interrupting their run. A standard switch consists of switch box (1), stock rails (2, 4), tongue rails (3), check rails (5, 8), wing rail (6), point of crossing (7), crossing sleepers (9).
In standard or single switches a distinction is made between right-hand and left-hand switches depending on the direction the diverging track takes.
A symmetrical switch is a special case of switch with two routes diverging symmetrically from the common route.
Two tracks intersect at the same level and form a crossing where the direction of the vehicles cannot be changed. Diamond crossings are equipped, besides the two intersecting tracks, with one junction track (single diamond crossing)
or two junction tracks (double diamond crossing)
Single diamond crossings with slips offer three and double diamond crossings - four possible driving directions.
Crossovers connect two tracks. It is made up of from two switches of adjacent tracks, generally connected by a short section of the plain track.
When a crossover passes through a third track a diamond is formed.
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