Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
aiguille
English translation:
points (UK); switch (US)
Added to glossary by
Tamara Salvio
Aug 15, 2008 17:40
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
United States
Corporate Finance and Communications
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US) 
Works in: French to English
aiguille
French to English
Tech/Engineering
Transport / Transportation / Shipping
high-speed line
La vitesse peut être supérieure à 220 km/h si le train est en ligne et ne prend pas l’aiguille (une fois en aiguille et une fois en ligne droite aux deux extrémités).
This concerns a new high-speed rail line that will consist of a single track in the middle portion and two tracks at its ends and the speeds the train will travel along each portion (high speed in the middle and lower at each end).
Does 'aiguille' here have to do with switching from the single track to the two track portion?
MTIA
This concerns a new high-speed rail line that will consist of a single track in the middle portion and two tracks at its ends and the speeds the train will travel along each portion (high speed in the middle and lower at each end).
Does 'aiguille' here have to do with switching from the single track to the two track portion?
MTIA
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +6 | points (UK); switch (US) |
Martin Cassell
|
| 4 | take/go down the diverging track |
Graham macLachlan
|
| 2 | stays on the main line |
liz askew
|
Proposed translations
+6
3 mins
Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
25 years as a specialist communicator
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
points (UK); switch (US)
it can go at this speed as long as it doesn't take the points (i.e. continues straight), as I understand it
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2008-08-15 18:01:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hope I'm not explaining what you know already, but: points/switches are everything to do with transition between single and double track! They are the devices, in a very shallow Y shape, which allow tracks to merge/bifurcate. Usually they're much safer when taken "trailing" (lines merge), and particularly on the through-track (straight line), less safe when taken "facing" (lines diverge).
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiguillage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_switch
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2008-08-15 18:20:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I'm taking it from the description that the layout is such that any train will pass in a straight line through the points at one end of the single-track section, and pass through from/onto the diverging track ("en aiguille") at the other end. Hence it will be free to travel at the higher speed either on entering or on leaving this section, but not both.
But I've now said as much as my limited experience of real railways qualifies me to say, so over (hopefully) to someone better qualified for confirmation/clarification.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 21:46:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hi Tamara, glad it's been of some help. The basic point (my turn to apologise!) of terminology seems more or less covered, I don't know how much more insight I can add on the whole context, as a non-specialist.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2008-08-16 13:09:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Bourth has raised a good point on the details of the EN phraseology: "take the points" (= "pass over the points") really needs to be followed by an adverb phrase (typically one describing speed). So to rephrase the first sentence of my explanation: "... as long as it is not switching tracks ..." (i.e. not taking the divergent track of the points/switch).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2008-08-15 18:01:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hope I'm not explaining what you know already, but: points/switches are everything to do with transition between single and double track! They are the devices, in a very shallow Y shape, which allow tracks to merge/bifurcate. Usually they're much safer when taken "trailing" (lines merge), and particularly on the through-track (straight line), less safe when taken "facing" (lines diverge).
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiguillage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_switch
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2008-08-15 18:20:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I'm taking it from the description that the layout is such that any train will pass in a straight line through the points at one end of the single-track section, and pass through from/onto the diverging track ("en aiguille") at the other end. Hence it will be free to travel at the higher speed either on entering or on leaving this section, but not both.
But I've now said as much as my limited experience of real railways qualifies me to say, so over (hopefully) to someone better qualified for confirmation/clarification.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 21:46:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hi Tamara, glad it's been of some help. The basic point (my turn to apologise!) of terminology seems more or less covered, I don't know how much more insight I can add on the whole context, as a non-specialist.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2008-08-16 13:09:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Bourth has raised a good point on the details of the EN phraseology: "take the points" (= "pass over the points") really needs to be followed by an adverb phrase (typically one describing speed). So to rephrase the first sentence of my explanation: "... as long as it is not switching tracks ..." (i.e. not taking the divergent track of the points/switch).
Note from asker:
| Thank you for your work on this so far, Martin - you are on the right track (horrible pun, sorry) as far as the layout - no diagram sorry, but will try to provide some more information tomorrow. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Claire Cox
1 min
|
|
thanks Claire
|
|
| agree |
Mohamed Mehenoun
19 mins
|
|
thanks Mohamed
|
|
| neutral |
Bourth (X)
: I take your point (terminologically), but does a train?//For me the "at speed" makes that usage possible. I note the "pass through" in the previous sentence.
24 mins
|
|
indeed. ideally a layout diagram and a ferrovial engineer needed, to get right to the bottom of this. // linguistically I stand by the usage "take" (=traverse): cf. http://www.signalbox.org/overseas/australia/speed.htm // see your 'point': see my note
|
|
| agree |
Jack Dunwell
: Isn't it single to single, M? 4' 8and a half inches or a giraffe collapse at 9 ft 5? It doesn't have to be from a SINGLE to a DOUBLE, just a CHANGE of track.(cogitable?)Martin. I already Agree, mon cher. It's the idea of a train running on double tracks!
26 mins
|
|
wouldn't that be entirely *pointless*, though? ;-) // I'm not sure I gauge your meaning now ...// I thought the asker said it's double-single-double // sorry, Friday-evening-brain syndrome at work here!
|
|
| agree |
Michel F. Morin
4 hrs
|
|
merci Michel
|
|
| agree |
Kari Foster
: Probably correct; here's a (cdn) glossary where it is translated as 'switch': http://www.trainweb.org/cssqscanada/LEXIQUE96.html
4 hrs
|
|
thanks Kari. I think the EN wiki article covers transatlantic terminology fairly well, but FWIW http://www.railway-technical.com/us-uk.shtml lists both
|
|
| neutral |
Ben Gaia
: If the train is not changing tracks but crossing the points on a straight section
1 day 58 mins
|
| agree |
Enrique Huber (X)
1 day 2 hrs
|
| neutral |
Graham macLachlan
: just translating the term 'prendre l'aiguille' as 'points/switch' doesn't really resolve the problem
1 day 14 hrs
|
|
entirely agree, there's more to it of course (as has been discussed) than just the headline term and its glossary counterpart
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you Martin, and Graham, for all your input on this, I was actually unaware of the terms "points" in UK, and both of you (plus commenters) helped me find a coherent turn of phrase. Cheers!"
12 mins
stays on the main line
;;;
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Bourth (X)
: I suppose it is logical to assume that the main line is the one a train is not switched from or to, but I don't know that it is a fact.
17 mins
|
|
Sure thing:-) I was looking at the speed of the train in the given context...
|
|
| neutral |
Graham macLachlan
: 'straight line' would have been less contentious!
1 day 14 hrs
|
1 day 14 hrs
French term (edited):
prendre l'aiguille
take/go down the diverging track
First off, the term we're looking for is 'prendre l'aiguille' (and not just 'aiguille') which literally translated would be 'take the points' and is obviously not satisfactory.
Running over points in itself doesn't mean the train has to slow down; if it remains on the straight track it could keep its speed up.
I think what they mean here is that the train would have to slow down if it were to take the 'diverging' track (which constitutes a bend); however it could hit speeds of over 220 kph if it were to remain on the 'straight' track.
See the animated diagram here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_switch
This would not make sense if the points comprised two diverging or curved tracks as the train would slow down on both routes.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days19 hrs (2008-08-18 13:37:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Tamara, if you look into the construction of the points you'll see a movable rail which diverts the train off the track it is on on to another one: this part is the 'aiguille'. Therefore, if the train goes along the 'aiguille' it will being transferring to the diverging track; indeed, either the points do nothing or they direct the train to a diverging track.
Running over points in itself doesn't mean the train has to slow down; if it remains on the straight track it could keep its speed up.
I think what they mean here is that the train would have to slow down if it were to take the 'diverging' track (which constitutes a bend); however it could hit speeds of over 220 kph if it were to remain on the 'straight' track.
See the animated diagram here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_switch
This would not make sense if the points comprised two diverging or curved tracks as the train would slow down on both routes.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days19 hrs (2008-08-18 13:37:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Tamara, if you look into the construction of the points you'll see a movable rail which diverts the train off the track it is on on to another one: this part is the 'aiguille'. Therefore, if the train goes along the 'aiguille' it will being transferring to the diverging track; indeed, either the points do nothing or they direct the train to a diverging track.
Reference comments
9 mins
Reference:
Seems to have something to do with "switching":
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:Jnm-1ghLo7kJ:www.trainw...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2008-08-15 17:53:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
=
stays on the main line??
Charleston Railroad Accident Attorneys / SC Train Crash Lawyers ...
After moving their train onto a sideline track, operators of the train failed to reset the manual switch so that another train would stay on the main line. ...
www.joegriffith.com/sc-train-railroad-accidents.html - 28k - Cached - Similar pages
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:Jnm-1ghLo7kJ:www.trainw...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2008-08-15 17:53:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
=
stays on the main line??
Charleston Railroad Accident Attorneys / SC Train Crash Lawyers ...
After moving their train onto a sideline track, operators of the train failed to reset the manual switch so that another train would stay on the main line. ...
www.joegriffith.com/sc-train-railroad-accidents.html - 28k - Cached - Similar pages
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| neutral |
Martin Cassell
: I'm not sure you can say which is the "main" line when a single line splits into double ...
16 mins
|
| agree |
Charles Hawtrey (X)
: At each end there's an extra bit of line to give 2 platforms with trains on at the same time, one in each direction. 1 line goes straight end-to-end, 2nd has to split off. 2 Ys joined by a long I. Was similar where I live before they started saving cash.
20 hrs
|
|
How kind. Oh for a better railway network in the UK..
|
Discussion
Thus, as I understand it, the trains have no choice but to cross the switch points, either from the single-track portion to the double or vice-versa.
In addition, this part of the text specifically concerns the double-track or traditional rail portion. The high-speed portion allows much higher speeds of course.