Raudteelõike

Raudteelõike is a term in Estonian railway engineering referring to a defined segment of a railway alignment between two specified points, typically between kilometres or stations. The word combines raudtee (railway) and lõige (section or segment). In practice, raudteelõiked are used in planning, construction, and maintenance to describe geometry, design parameters, and to organize documentation and asset records. Each raudteelõike has a unique identifier and a measured length, enabling engineers to specify requirements and to locate features along the line.

In surveying and mapping, a raudteelõike is represented as a polyline on plans and GIS datasets, with associated data such as gradient, curvature radius, elevation, and structural elements (bridges, culverts, cuttings). In project documentation, the railway is subdivided into consecutive raudteelõiked to reflect geometry and construction sequences. The term also appears in legal and procurement contexts to delineate sections of track for maintenance responsibilities, ownership, and access rights.

The concept is parallel to railway alignment segments in other languages. While not a physical object on its own, a raudteelõike provides a functional unit for geometry, measurement, and management of railway infrastructure in Estonia and Estonian-language engineering literature.