rautatiekiskoa

Rautatiekiskoa is the Finnish word for railway track or railroad track. It refers to the permanent way, the structure on which a railway operates. A railway track consists primarily of two parallel steel rails, typically weighing around 60 kilograms per meter, which are fastened to sleepers or ties. These sleepers are themselves embedded in a bed of ballast, usually crushed stone, to provide support and drainage.

The primary function of the rautatiekiskoa is to guide the wheels of trains and to distribute the weight of the train to the ground. The precise spacing between the rails, known as the gauge, is a critical dimension and varies depending on the railway system. In Finland, the standard gauge is 1,524 millimeters. The rails are joined together to form continuous lengths, often using welded joints to minimize noise and wear. Switches, also known as points, are a crucial component of rautatiekiskoa, allowing trains to change from one track to another. The entire structure is designed to withstand the immense forces exerted by moving trains while ensuring safe and efficient operation.