CSX Railroad Basics UPDATED
QUESTIONS and CORRECT Answers
Retarder - CORRECT ANSWER - A tracking device built into the railway to reduce the
speed of rail cars.
Coupler - CORRECT ANSWER - A device located at both end of rail cars in a standard
location providing means to connect one car to another.
Ladder - CORRECT ANSWER - A single "lead" track with many tracks branching off to
form a classification yard.
Interchange - CORRECT ANSWER - The transfer of rail cars from one railroad to another
at a common junction point.
Yard - CORRECT ANSWER - A system of tracks, other than main tracks and sidings used
for making up trains, storing rail cars, and other purposes.
Team tracks - CORRECT ANSWER - A side track subject to use by the general public
with facilities for loading and unloading cars.
4 - CORRECT ANSWER - Couple speed must never exceed ___ MPH.
Hump yard - CORRECT ANSWER - A switching yard with an elevated track or hump
over which cars are pushed by an engine so that they travel by gravity to classification tracks.
Siding - CORRECT ANSWER - An auxilary track for meeting or passing trains. It is
designated in special instructions in the time table.
, Wood, concrete, and steel - CORRECT ANSWER - CSX uses three types of crossties.
They are:
Rail anchors - CORRECT ANSWER - ______ _________ are designed to prevent rail
creep or run caused by temperature changes, heavy grades, and train braking which cause
crosstie and switch alignment problems. These devices are clipped or bolted to the rail on each
side of the crosstie.
Ballast - CORRECT ANSWER - The main purpose of __________ is to hold the crossties
in place, prevent lateral movement, increase drainage, and spread out the load underneath the
crosstie.
Steel tie plates - CORRECT ANSWER - _______ ____ ________ are placed between te
rail and the crosstie to increase crosstie life by spreading the load on the rail over a large enough
area to prevent the rail from crushing and cutting into the crosstie.
Spikes - CORRECT ANSWER - ________ are driven into the crossties to keep the rail
from lying on it's side or turning over, and for securing the tie plates to the crossties.
Bolted, continuosly welded - CORRECT ANSWER - The two types of rail are _________
and __________ __________.
Ball, Web, Base - CORRECT ANSWER - The three parts of a rail are the ______, ____,
and ______.
4 feet, 8 and 1/2 inches - CORRECT ANSWER - Track guage is the inside distance
between the rails and measures:
Turnout - CORRECT ANSWER - An arrangement of a switch and frog with closure rails
by which equipment can be diverted from one track to the other.
QUESTIONS and CORRECT Answers
Retarder - CORRECT ANSWER - A tracking device built into the railway to reduce the
speed of rail cars.
Coupler - CORRECT ANSWER - A device located at both end of rail cars in a standard
location providing means to connect one car to another.
Ladder - CORRECT ANSWER - A single "lead" track with many tracks branching off to
form a classification yard.
Interchange - CORRECT ANSWER - The transfer of rail cars from one railroad to another
at a common junction point.
Yard - CORRECT ANSWER - A system of tracks, other than main tracks and sidings used
for making up trains, storing rail cars, and other purposes.
Team tracks - CORRECT ANSWER - A side track subject to use by the general public
with facilities for loading and unloading cars.
4 - CORRECT ANSWER - Couple speed must never exceed ___ MPH.
Hump yard - CORRECT ANSWER - A switching yard with an elevated track or hump
over which cars are pushed by an engine so that they travel by gravity to classification tracks.
Siding - CORRECT ANSWER - An auxilary track for meeting or passing trains. It is
designated in special instructions in the time table.
, Wood, concrete, and steel - CORRECT ANSWER - CSX uses three types of crossties.
They are:
Rail anchors - CORRECT ANSWER - ______ _________ are designed to prevent rail
creep or run caused by temperature changes, heavy grades, and train braking which cause
crosstie and switch alignment problems. These devices are clipped or bolted to the rail on each
side of the crosstie.
Ballast - CORRECT ANSWER - The main purpose of __________ is to hold the crossties
in place, prevent lateral movement, increase drainage, and spread out the load underneath the
crosstie.
Steel tie plates - CORRECT ANSWER - _______ ____ ________ are placed between te
rail and the crosstie to increase crosstie life by spreading the load on the rail over a large enough
area to prevent the rail from crushing and cutting into the crosstie.
Spikes - CORRECT ANSWER - ________ are driven into the crossties to keep the rail
from lying on it's side or turning over, and for securing the tie plates to the crossties.
Bolted, continuosly welded - CORRECT ANSWER - The two types of rail are _________
and __________ __________.
Ball, Web, Base - CORRECT ANSWER - The three parts of a rail are the ______, ____,
and ______.
4 feet, 8 and 1/2 inches - CORRECT ANSWER - Track guage is the inside distance
between the rails and measures:
Turnout - CORRECT ANSWER - An arrangement of a switch and frog with closure rails
by which equipment can be diverted from one track to the other.
