Vocabulary Notes

Read and translate the following sentences into Russian

1 To weld – сваривать.

The rails of standart length are welded together to make rails several hundred fut in length.

2 Long – welded (continuous) rails – бесстыковые рельсы.

Long – welded rails are being laid in regions where the range of temperature during the year may be as much as 100 degrees.

3 Elimination – устранение, удаление, исключение.

4 Joint – соединение, стык.

5 Track repair – ремонт пути

6 Track maintenance – эксплуатация, содержание пути.

The elimination of track joints reduces the expense of track repair and maintenance.

7 Riding quality of track – динамические качества пути.

8 Riding quality – ходовые (ездовые) качества.

9 Rail failure – излом рельсов.

The continuous rails give to the railway track a smoother, more even riding, quality, and, since there is less danger of rail failures.

10 Operation of trains – движение поездов.

The continuous rails permit the operation of trains at higher speeds.

11 Rigid – жёсткий, устойчивый, неподвижно закреплённый.

12 Adjacent – смежный, соседний, примыкающий, прилегающий.

13 Axle – ось.

It is desirable not to have any piece of rail which is shorter than the largest rigid wheel base of wagons, namely the distance between two adjacent axles.

Exercise 1. Read the text and answer the following questions:

1 What is the weakest part of a track structure?

2 What is the length of a rail governed by?

3 What is the standard length of a rail in Russia (India, America, Britain, Germany)?

4 Where are long – welded rails laid?

5 What are the advantages of long – welded or continuous rails?

6 How can the problem of expansion and contraction be solved?

Text 3a The Length of Rail

Read and translate the text.

The length of rails vary considerably in various countries. The rail Joint is the weakest part of a track structure. Its strength is about one half that of the rails. The length of a rail is governed by the length which can be produced at the plant. A further limiting factor is the transport of rails. Rails have to be of such lengths that they may be carried in the longest stan­dard wagons. Very long rails cannot be handled by manual labour and special handling devices, such as cranes, are necessary. Also if a defect is found in a rail, a much longer length has to be wasted in renewal than in the case of short rails.

Rails varying in length from 20' to 42' are in use in India. In America the normal rail length is 39'. In Britain, the standard length is 60' whilst of 90' are not uncommon and 120' rails have also been used. In Britain, the economic limit of length is consi­dered at present to be 90'. The standard length of rails on main lines in Germany is 98' – 5" (30 metres) and considerable numbers of rails of 78' – 9" (24 metres) are in use in France. The standard length of rails in Russia is 25 metres.

In recent years some railroads in the United States of America use rails much longer than the standard. The rails of standard length are welded together to make rails several hundred feet in length. The problem of expansion and contraction can be solved by proper fastening of the rails to the ties.

Long – welded rails are being laid in regions where the range of temperature during the year may be as much as 100 degrees. The greatest measure of success with the long rails is obtained in tunnels, where the vatiation in temperature during a year is much less than in the open air.

The elimination of track .joints reduces the expense of track repair and maintenance. The continuous rails have a longer life than the short rails. They give to the railway track a smoother, more even riding quality, and, since there is less danger of rail failures, they permit the operation of trains at higher speeds.

Although no limit has been prescribed for the shortest piece of rail which may be used in a track where there is through traffic, it is desirable not to have any piece of rail which is shorter than the largest rigid wheel base of wagons, namely the distance between two adjacent axles.

Exercise 1. Make up a dialogue about the standard length of rails in different countries.

Exercise 2. Render the following sentences in English.

1 Рельсовый стык /соединение/ – самая слаба* часть структуры пути.

2 Стандартная длина рельса различна в разных странах.

3 Стандартная длина рельсов в России равна 25 м.

4 Длинносварные рельсы имеют более продолжительный срок службы, чем короткие рельсы.

5 По бесстыковым рельсам поезда могут двигаться с более высокими скоростями.