250+ TOP MCQs on Railway Lines – Good Alignment Importance and Answers

This set of Railway Engineering Multiple Choice Questions on “Railway Lines – Good Alignment Importance”.

1. What does alignment of a railway track mean?
a) Direction and position of the centerline of track in horizontal plane only
b) Direction and position @ 50mm distance on either side of centerline of track
c) Direction and position of the centerline of track in both horizontal and vertical planes
d) Direction and position of the centerline of track in vertical plane only
Answer: c
Clarification: In railway terminology, “Alignment” means the direction and position of the centerline of the railway track with respect to both horizontal and vertical planes. A proper alignment of the track will ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers.

2. Which of the following is not an example of vertical alignment?
a) Level track
b) Gradient
c) Vertical curve
d) Gauge
Answer: d
Clarification: The vertical alignment of a railway track refers to the direction and position it follows in the vertical plane. This includes gradient, level track and vertical curve. Whereas the horizontal alignment of a railway track refers to the direction and position it follows in the plan.

3. The alignment of a railway track can be changed very easily.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: False. Once a railway track is constructed, it is very difficult to change its alignment. This is because of the difficulty in acquiring more land and reconstructing the already existing costly structures. Therefore, changing the alignment will take more time and prove costly.

4. How is accuracy of the rail alignment related to the operating speed of the train?
a) Inversely proportional
b) Directly proportional
c) No relation exists
d) Varies from place to place
Answer: b
Clarification: More the accuracy of the rail alignment more will be the operating speed of the train. Improper alignment (either in horizontal plane or vertical plane) will reduce the speed of train and cause discomfort to the passengers.

5. The alignment survey of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor was done by which agency?
a) JICA
b) SNCF
c) Indian Railways
d) RITES
Answer: a
Clarification: The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor will be India’s first high speed rail line when completed. The project is scheduled to be completed by August, 2022. Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) did the alignment survey and also researched about the technology to be used in the project.

6. Which of the following software cannot be used to design a railway track alignment?
a) Open Rail Designer
b) Trimble Quantm
c) Ferrovia
d) Primavera
Answer: d
Clarification: Primavera software is used for project planning and management. It cannot be used for design of rail track alignment. The Delhi Metro Rail Cooperation used the Open Rail Designer software to modify and finalize the design of its Phase 4 expansion project. Using the software, the designing team completed the alignment design of railway line within 3 months.