Define Rail Templates

When you create a rail template you can enter the following elements:

• Median

• Rail

• Shoulder

• Ditch

• Safety Berm

• Subgrade

Define a rail template

1. Click on the template you want to define.

2. Click insert, alternatively right-click and select insert from the menu.

3. Select the element type you want to enter (Median, Rail, Shoulder, Ditch). The appropriate tab appears.

4. Enter the values for the Rail element (see below).

Median

The Median tab appears when the element type is median.

Specify the following for the median element:

• Width m (ft) Enter the width of the left or right side of the median. 

• Depth m (ft) Enter the depth of the median. 

• Base Width m (ft) Enter a base width to create a flat bottom drain. 

The median is the area that separates the left and right tracks of a rail project. You should only use the median element with the Dual rail element. If you use the median element with the normal Rail element, inaccurate results will occur.

When you enter a median element, as a minimum you must enter a center offset that is half the ballast width plus the median width. If a center offset is entered that is below this figure, the ballast element will overlap the median element and inaccurate results will be generated. When entering the center offset to fit in with the median element, you must also take into account if the ballast element has a side slope applied.

To enable you to simulate the creation of drains in dual carriageway projects, when you enter a depth of ± m (ft), the left edge of the median element for the right side of a template will move up or down the vertical scale by the number of units you enter.

When a base width is entered, a flat section is inserted at the centerline of the template the width of the units entered. The depth entered is moved to the right end of the base width. The Base Width enables you to construct table/flat bottom drains in dual carriageway projects.

Rail Element

The Rail Element tab appears when the element type is rail element.

Note: A half-ballast element will be placed at the start of the template if it is the first element in the list. If it is not the first element in the list a full ballast element will be placed.

Tip: To get a full ballast element at the start of the template, place a median with a width of zero as the first element in the list.

Specify the following for the rail element:

• Width (ballast)   m (ft) Enter the top width of the left or right side of the ballast if it is the first element in the list, else if it is not the first element enter the entire ballast width. 

• Height (Ballast)   m (ft) Enter the height of the ballast. 

• Slope (Ballast)   % Enter the side slope of the ballast. 

• Super Elevate Check to apply superelevation.

• Half Gauge mm (inch) Half the width of the rails. 

NOTE – If superelevation is applied, it is applied from the inside track 

Shoulder

The Shoulder tab appears when the element type is shoulder.

Specify the following for the shoulder:

• Width (cut) m (ft) Enter the width of the shoulder when the alignment is in cut.

• Slope (cut) % Enter the slope of the shoulder when the alignment is in cut.

• Super elevate Check to apply superelevation when the alignment is in cut..

• Width (fill) m (ft) Enter the width of the shoulder when the alignment is in fill.

• Slope (fill) % Enter the slope of the shoulder when the alignment is in fill.

• Super elevate Check to apply superelevation when the alignment is in fill.

Tip: You can enter the side slope details for alignments in fill in the Cost Parameters dialog. Select the Global tab. See Fill. You can enter the side slope details for alignments in cut in the Cost Parameters dialog. Select the Material tab and the Geology tab. See Geotechnical Costs.

Ditch

The Ditch tab appears when the element type is ditch.

Specify the following for the Ditch:

• Inner Depth m (ft) Enter the inner depth of the ditch.

• Inner Slope % Enter the slope of the inner ditch side. 

• Base Width m (ft) Enter the  base width of the ditch.

• Cut Check to apply the ditch when the alignment is in cut.

• Fill Check to apply the ditch when the alignment is in fill.

• Outer Depth m (ft) Enter the outer depth of the ditch.

• Outer Slope % Enter the slope of the outer ditch side. 

• Symmetrical Check to have symmetrical depth and slope for both sides. 

The depth entered for the ditch is the overall depth that will be excavated for the ditch.

The slope (%) is applied to the sides of the ditch and the system automatically calculates the lengths of the sides to be constructed based on the depth of the ditch. 

If no base width is entered but a depth and slope are entered, a "V" drain is constructed based on the depth and slope. If the depth and base width are entered, then a slot drain is created. If all three parameters are entered, a table drain is constructed. 

Safety Berm

The Safety Berm tab appears when the element type is safety berm.

Specify the following for the Safety Berm element:

• The height entered for the safety berm is the overall height that will be left for the safety berm when the alignment is in fill. If the alignment is in cut, no safety berm will be placed.

• The slope (%) is applied to the sides of the safety berm and the system automatically calculates the lengths of the sides to be constructed based on the height of the safety berm.

• If no top height is entered but a height and slope are entered, a pointed safety berm will be constructed based on the height and slope. If height and top width are entered, then a square safety berm will be created.

Subgrade

Subgrade parameters are inserted into templates to define the materials underneath the template footprint that the template is constructed above.

Single or multiple subgrade layers can be defined for any template. Within the Cost Parameters on the Template Materials tab you can define the material cost for each subgrade, the cost of each material is then included in the summary report.

• Height m (ft) - Enter the height of the safety berm.

• Slope % - Enter the slope of the ditch sides.

• Top width m (ft) - Enter a top width to create a top of the safety berm.

Next topic: Unlocked/Locked Templates