Adhesion railway

A railway in which trains are propelled mainly by friction between steel wheels and steel rails. The same contact also guides and supports the train.

Railway traction: The force that propels a railway vehicle along the track. Adhesion is the usual source of traction in this railway system.
Railway track: The structure of rails, sleepers, fastenings, and supporting layers on which trains run. It provides the running surface and geometry for adhesion-based movement.
Railway gradient: The rate of rise or fall along a railway track, usually expressed as a ratio or percentage. Steep gradients demand more tractive effort and can exceed available adhesion.
Cable railway: A railway in which vehicles are moved by a continuously driven cable or hauled rope. The vehicle's motion comes from cable force rather than its own wheel adhesion.
Coefficient of adhesion: A measure of the maximum tangential force available between contacting railway wheels and rails relative to their normal load. It describes the grip available before powered wheels begin to slip.
Railway wheel: A flanged wheel designed to support and guide a railway vehicle on rails. Its tread transmits traction and braking forces through contact with the rail.
Train resistance: The forces opposing a train's motion, including rolling, aerodynamic, and gradient resistance. Available adhesion must overcome these forces to keep a train moving.
Funicular: A cable railway with counterbalanced cars moving on a steep slope, typically using a fixed cable. It handles steep routes by replacing ordinary adhesion traction with cable haulage.
Wheel slip: The difference between a wheel's rotational speed and the speed implied by its forward motion. Excessive traction can make a driving wheel spin instead of advancing the train.
Rail: A steel track member that guides railway wheels and carries loads into the track structure. The rail is the other half of the system's wheel–rail contact.

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