86.08 Railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) signalling, safety or traffic control equipment for railways, tramways, roads, inland waterways, parking facilities, port installations or airfields; parts of the foregoing.
(A) RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY TRACK FIXTURES AND FITTINGS This group includes : (1) Assembled track, i.e., rails already fixed to sleepers or other supports. Such track may be in the form of junction, switch or cross over points, curves, straight runs, etc. (2) Turntables, whether or not electrically operated, i.e., large platforms usually circular, which can rotate about the centre, and which are fitted with railway or tramway tracks; most are also equipped with rollers carrying the perimeter of the platform. Locomotives, etc., can therefore be rotated on the turntable and driven off in a new direction. The heading also includes hand operated turntables, for narrow gauge railways on building sites, quarries, etc. However, the heading excludes locomotives or wagon traversers which transfer railway vehicles from one track to another. These and other machines for handling rolling stock (e.g., wagon tippers, wagon pushers) fall in heading 84.28. (3) Platform buffers, i.e., hydraulic or spring loaded stopping devices placed at the end of each run of track to minimise the shock if rolling stock does not stop before reaching the track terminal. They are designed either to be embedded into the masonry (e.g., of terminal stations) or into robust frameworks (e.g., in shunting yards). (4) Loading gauges, i.e., arch shaped structures which ensure that trains passing beneath them do not exceed the maximum clearance height and width prescribed for the route involved. The heading does not cover wooden sleepers (heading 44.06), concrete sleepers (heading 68.10) or sleepers, rails or other items of unassembled track construction material, of iron or steel specified in heading 73.02 (see the corresponding Explanatory Note). Pylons and portals for carrying overhead cables are not regarded as railway or tramway fixtures or fittings and are classified according to their constituent materials in headings 68.10, 73.08, etc. (B) MECHANICAL (INCLUDING ELECTRO MECHANICAL) SIGNALLING, SAFETY OR TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT FOR RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, ROADS, INLAND WATERWAYS, PARKING FACILITIES, PORT INSTALLATIONS OR AIRFIELDS This group covers essentially apparatus in which the signal, etc., is operated from a control point, generally at some distance, by the movement of levers, cranks, rods, wires, chains, etc., or by hydro pneumatic devices or electric motors. Electropneumatically operated equipment (e.g., for railways) is also classified in this heading. In this type, the signals or points are activated by a pneumatic power engine, the admission or release of air into or from the motor cylinder being controlled by an electro magnetic valve which is in turn controlled by the electric control board in the signal box. The signal and its pneumatic activating device is regarded as mechanical equipment of this heading, but the electric control board, etc., is proper to Chapter 85. The term "signalling equipment" refers to apparatus which can be made to show two or more aspects each conveying instructions to vehicles, ships or aircraft. It does not cover road, rail, etc., sign-plates with no mechanical features (e.g., speed limit, direction or gradient sign plates); these are classified according to the constituent material (e.g., in heading 44.21 or 83.10). Provided they are mechanically or electro-mechanically operated as described above, the following types of apparatus fall in this group : (1) Signal box equipment. A complete unit consists of a number of control levers with their transmission wheels, rods, wires, etc., mounted in a frame. In most cases interlocking devices are incorporated to prevent signals or points being set in a conflicting manner. (2) Signal arms, signal discs, complete signal posts or signal gantries. (3) Controlling or slotting lever mechanisms fitted to interdependent signals to ensure their co ordinated action. (4) Trackside mechanisms (ground frames, etc., of the lever, pedal, crank or other types) for operating points, signals, etc. (5) Point detectors. These are activated by the movement of the points themselves; their movements are transmitted back to the signal box so that the signalman knows that the points are in the position he intends. (6) Point locks and locking bars. These devices, fitted to the track itself, ensure that the passage of a train automatically locks the points, so that they cannot be changed from the signal box until the train is clear. (7) Railbrakes. These devices are used to slow down or stop rolling-stock (e.g., to slow shunted wagons entering a marshalling yard siding). They usually consist essentially of a pair of bars fitted to each rail of the track; under hydraulic or compressed air control, these bars can be made to exert braking pressure on the wheels of rolling stock passing over the track. (8) Derailers and stop blocks. When slid free of the rail, these allow the passage of a wagon, but when slid on to the running surface of the rail they act as a stop block or as a deflecting blade to "jump" a wagon off the track. (9) Train stops. These usually consist of a T shaped bar device fixed alongside the track and operated by compressed air. The bar is interconnected with the signal so that when the latter is at danger, the bar is raised to a position where it will "trip" a brake control lever on any train overrunning the signal. (10) Automatic fog-signalling apparatus. These devices, also usually pneumatically operated, automatically place a fog signal on the track each time the signal is at danger. (11) Level crossing control gear for raising and lowering, or opening and closing the gates. This gear usually consists of a hand-operated crank wheel and gearing device, or of a leverage system operated from the signal box as with signal or point control gear. Level crossing gates themselves are classified according to their constituent material (heading 73.08 if made of iron or steel, or heading 44.21 if made of wood), but mechanically or electro mechanically operated signals indicating whether the gates are open or shut fall in this heading. (12) Hand or electro mechanically operated signals designed to show "Stop" and "Go" signs to road or maritime traffic. PARTS The heading also includes identifiable parts of the apparatus referred to above (e.g., turntable platforms, signal arms and discs, control levers, point lock cases, interlocking slot mechanisms). The heading also excludes :(a) Chains and other parts of general use as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), and similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39); general purpose material (such as wire and rodding) and metal structures and metal parts of such structures, falling in Section XV. It should be noted that point rods which run beneath the rails to connect the trackside control mechanism to the switch blades fall in heading 73.02 together with certain other specified railway or tramway track construction material of iron or steel. (b) Signal lamps (heading 85.30 or 94.05). (c) Sirens, fog horns and other sound signalling instruments (classified in their own appropriate headings). (d) Apparatus for signalling on board vehicles, ships, etc., (e.g., alarm signalling apparatus on trains, emergency station signalling apparatus for ships, etc.) (classified in their own appropriate headings).
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