2 running rails.
There may be a power rail ("the third rail")
There may be guard rails at places like bridges and curves (there always are short ones at turnouts ("switches").
4' 8 1/2"
They are there to allow for the expansion of the rails during hot weather.
Railroad tracks are often called rails.
of Track
An example of parallel lines are the two rails of a railway track, rails which never meet. An oval is a line or shape that has no parallel lines.
have the rails along your track but you must use normal rails to turn corners. Now put redstone Next to the rails and then a lever/button or somthing to work it, i think detector rails work aswell but not sure how. Now you have your power rails:D
The rails themselves are metal. The 'sleepers' the rails rest on are often made from wood - as they flexes while the trains pass over them.
No. But there was a recent update for detector rails and booster rails. detector rails use redstone to make sensors that trigger things. For example when the cart passes over a track tnt will explode. Booster rails increase the speed.
They use it as a power ground, leaving the running rails to carry (only) the signal (track) circuit currents.
Its called ballast, and its to allow (rapid) drainage .
they are well spaced because it is to save money
Rail gauge is the term used to measure the spacing of the rails on a railway track. This term is used in Australia. In the U.S., we use the term track gauge.