Land Transportation - Railroad Operations and Safety Control

Here you will learn some English words related to railroad operations and safety control such as "shunt", "pull in", and "derail."

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Land Transportation
to run [verb]

(of a train) to travel along a track on wheels, carrying passengers or goods

Ex:
to shunt [verb]

to move a train or part of a train from one track to another

Ex: The operator carefully shunted the train to avoid any collisions .

(of a train or bus) to arrive at a station

Ex: Passengers were alerted as the train was about to pull in to the terminal .

(of a train or bus) to leave a station with passengers on board

Ex: Everyone was seated and the express train pulled out , heading to its next destination .

(of a train) to accidentally go off the tracks

Ex: A mechanical failure in one of the freight train 's wheels caused it to derail .

to disconnect two railway cars or a car from the locomotive

Ex: The workers uncoupled the dining car before sending the rest of the train to the yard .

a directive issued to reduce speed for safety reasons on a railway track

Ex: The railway authorities imposed a temporary slow order following heavy rainfall to prevent potential track damage .

the practice of attaching two locomotives at the front of a train to provide additional power for hauling heavy loads or climbing steep gradients

Ex: The bookshelf was mounted with a double heading , allowing books to be stored facing both inward and outward .
runaway [noun]

a device or mechanism that operates without control or restraint, often resulting in dangerous situations

Ex:

a safety device placed at the end of a railway track to prevent trains from moving beyond that point

Ex: When a train approaches the buffer stop , it activates braking systems automatically to avoid collisions .

a rotating platform used to redirect train engines or cars between different tracks

Ex: In the past , railway turntables were manually operated , but modern ones are often mechanized for efficiency .
retarder [noun]

a braking system used on a rail yard track to slow down or stop rolling railroad cars with controlled friction or electromagnetic force

Ex: Operators adjust the retarder settings based on the weight and speed of the cars to prevent collisions and ensure efficient sorting .

a safety device on machinery that stops it from operating if the operator becomes incapacitated or loses control

Ex:

the pulling or hauling force exerted by a locomotive or vehicle

Ex: Engineers often calculate the tractive effort needed based on the weight of the train and the gradient of the track .

the event where two trains traveling on the same track come together

Ex: Passengers on board felt a slight jolt as the train meet occurred unexpectedly .

a system where locomotives and carriages are controlled simultaneously from a single point within the train

Ex: Implementing multiple-unit train control has reduced manpower and improved service in rail transport .

a system used in rail operations to authorize train movements along specific sections of track based on direct communication between train crews and dispatchers

Ex: Track warrant control allows for flexible scheduling of train movements based on real-time conditions .

a system that automatically regulates the speed and movement of trains to ensure safety and efficiency

Ex: Engineers continually refine automatic train control systems to integrate new technologies and improve performance .

a safety system installed on railways to prevent accidents caused by human error

Ex: Many modern railways worldwide have adopted automatic train protection to minimize the risk of accidents and improve operational reliability .