Railway track
device · 1767 · Industrial Revolution
A track of rails on sleepers.
What it is made of
- Railway switch — has part. Switches.
- Sleeper — has part. Sleepers.
Principles and materials it uses
- Steel — is made of. Modern rails are steel.
- Rolling mill — uses. Rails are rolled.
- Cast iron — is made of. The first rails were cast iron.
- Wrought iron — is made of. Then — wrought iron.
Where it is used
- Steam locomotive — is used in. It runs on rails.
- Metro — is used in. It runs on rails.
- Funicular — is used in. Rails.
- Truss bridge — is used in. Railway bridges.
- Roller coaster — is used in. Rails.
- Model railway — is used in. It runs on rails.
- Wright Flyer — is used in. The Flyer had no wheels: it took off along a wooden rail.
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Wagonway — evolved from. Cast-iron and steel rails replaced wooden ones.
- Time zones — inspired. Introduced because of railway timetables.