check rail

English

A diagram of a junction with check rails highlighted red

Alternative forms

• check-rail, checkrail

Noun

check rail (plural check rails)

1. (rail transport) A rail laid parallel to a running rail to guide wheels through points, rail crossings, and round curves, to reduce wear and the risk of derailments such as those due to flange climb.
   • 1869, Colonel W. Yolland, “Brecon and Merythr Railway”, in Accounts and Papers volume 21 Railways; Turnpikes; Highways; Harbours, &c.‎^[1], Session 10 December 1868 — 11 August 1869, Volume LIV., House of Commons, Railways, page 42:

     I think it of great importance that the whole of this portion of the Brecon and Mertyr Railway, which originally was an old mineral line (the old Rumney), should be carefully examined by the Company's engineer, to ascertain if there are any other curves of 10 or 12 chains radius or less on the running lines, and that such curves should be rendered more safe, by the addition of check rails round such curves.

   • 1962 December, “Talking of Trains: Rail and flange lubrication”, in Modern Railways, page 372:

     The uniformity of the wheel diameters of diesel and electric locomotives and m.u. trains impairs the spreading of grease from one point fed by the lubricator and the growing traffic of m.u. trains and railcars has increased the need for lubrication and for check rails in certain places. [...] if necessary, they [lubricators] can be adapted to apply grease to the backs of wheels in order to lubricate the face of continuous check rails.

   • 2000, J. S. Mundrey, “Railway Curves”, in Railway Track Engineering‎^[2], 3rd edition, Tata McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, Movement of Vehicles on Curves, page 199:

     The pressure of the flange of the leading wheel against the outer rail leads not only to excessive wear but also to risk of tyre climbing up over the rail. To minimise this risk, a check rail is fixed inside the inner rail and made parallel to it.

   • 2008, John Wolfe Wolfe Barry, “Permanent Way”, in Railway Appliances‎^[3], BiblioBazaar, →ISBN, Superelevation, page 58/60:

     The extra rail, which is called a check rail, relieves the sideways pressure of the wheels against the out rail, and prevents the wheels from mounting the outer rail

   • 2020 August 26, “Stop & Examine”, in Rail, page 70, about a bridge across the Irrawaddy in Burma:

     "Given the nature of the bridge and the potential consequences of a derailment, it's hardly surprising that there are orthodox check-rails all the way across the bridge.