Track body

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Independent railway body: suburban line of the Munich subway with lateral busbars

The track body forms the route for railways and trams and consists of the superstructure and the substructure supporting it . The track (consisting of sleepers and the rails attached to them ) and the ballast belong to the superstructure . There are also other track constructions, especially for light rail vehicles. The stability of the superstructure is guaranteed by the substructure. This consists of earthworks, supporting structures and engineering structures.

Types

Section 16 BOStrab distinguishes between three different types of railway bodies for Germany. According to the Municipal Transport Financing Act, new lines can only be funded if they contain at least special railway bodies.

Independent track body

Independent railway bodies are routes that are completely separate from other traffic due to their location and design. Level crossings are possible. Underground railways are independent railways in accordance with Section 4 (2) PBefG and are therefore exclusively equipped with independent railway bodies.

Special track body

Paved track with 45 ° ribs between single-lane lanes in Bremen
Special track body with grass track in Nordhausen

Special railway bodies are located in the traffic area of ​​public roads, but are separated from other traffic by structural measures (e.g. curbs , hedges or rows of trees). Level crossings and crossings are possible. As a rule, light rail vehicles run at least on special tracks.

Such special railway bodies can have a classic ballasted track bed. But they can serve as a grass track with a low plant cover around the rails as a green area. Or they can be paved. On the one hand, this enables them to be set up between single-lane carriageways if the road space is limited, if rescue vehicles can move from the carriageway to the track over a 45 ° edge. On the other hand, they can be designed for shared use by public buses, so that they can also be guided past motorized individual traffic (MIT).

Road-flush railway body

Road-flush railway body: tracks embedded in the roadway in Zurich

Road surfaces flush with the road use the traffic space of other road users (street, pedestrian zone). They are a typical feature of trams. For the railways, the maximum speed of the other road users applies here, the vehicles may not exceed a length of 75 m.

Norms and standards

  • Tram construction and operating regulations (Ordinance on the construction and operation of trams - BOStrab)
  • Leaflet for the execution of traffic areas in the track areas of trams (2006)

Web links