Figure 2.24. Gantlet Track Over Narrow Bridge.
passenger terminals, freight stations, and team tracks.* Several types of bumpers are available, two of which are
shown in figures 2.25 and 2.26. However, all have the same purpose: to receive the initial impact from the
rolling stock and transmit it to the ground or track structure. Commercial designs made of manganese steel
bolted to the rails receive and pass the load to the rails and ties. Concrete blocks of sufficient bulk may be able to
absorb most of the shock. Wooden posts may be driven in the ground at the end of the track. Although simple to
install, they offer little resistance. Mounds of earth, easy to build and the cause of little damage to equipment, are
frequently used in a theater for temporary installations where commercial bumpers are unavailable. Wheel stops,
such as steel members shaped to receive the wheel tread, are bolted to the rails, but their resistance to impact is
limited. Timbers bolted or strapped to the rails may be used when other devices are not available.
*A team track is one on which freight is transferred directly between rail cars and highway vehicles.
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