Permanent way

Imagine you are building a long driveway for your toy cars to drive on. You could just lay down some cardboard or paper, but that wouldn't last very long. You need a "permanent way" for your cars to drive on!

Now imagine that instead of a toy driveway, we are building a big road for real cars and trains to travel on. This road needs to be strong enough to support heavy vehicles and keep them safe. That's where the permanent way comes in!

The permanent way is made up of three main parts: the track, the sleepers, and the ballast.

The track is the long pieces of metal called rails that the trains run on. They are specially designed to support the weight of the train and help it stay on the track.

The sleepers are the wooden or concrete blocks that the rails are attached to. They are placed on the ground and support the weight of the track and the trains. They also help distribute the weight of the trains evenly across the ground, which helps prevent damage to the track and helps keep the train safe.

Finally, the ballast is the layer of gravel, sand, or other material that is placed around the sleepers to help keep them in place and provide a stable base for the track. It also helps drain water away from the track, which helps prevent damage and keeps the track safe.

So, in summary, the permanent way is the system of rails, sleepers, and ballast that makes up the track for trains and other heavy vehicles to travel on. It is called "permanent" because it is designed to last a long time and handle heavy use.