iBT TOEFL Topic Vocabulary Breakthrough Unit 010

iBT TOEFL Topic Vocabulary Breakthrough Unit 010
Author: Li Xiaolai

10. Rail transport is the conveyance of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run along railways or railroads. Typical railway tracks consist of two parallel rails, normally made of steel, secured to crossbeams, termed ties. The ties maintain a constant distance between the two rails; a measurement known as the "gauge" of the track. To maintain the alignment of the track it is either laid on a bed of ballast or else secured to a solid concrete foundation. Rail transport is an energy-efficient and capital-intensive component of logistics; in contrast, a traditional wagon can carry no more than several tons of freight.