Following are the requirements of an ideal sleeper:
1. The initial, as well as maintenance cost, should be minimum.
2. The weight of the sleepers should be moderate so that it can be handled easily.
3. It should be easy to handle so that gauge may be adjusted easily and maintained correctly.
4. It should be shock and vibrations absorbent, developed due to passages of fast-moving trains.
5. The design of the material of sleepers should be such that it does not get damaged or break while packing below it.
6. The sleepers should have sufficient bearing area.
7. The sleepers should be so designed that it does not get distracted from its position easily by the passage of the trains.
8. It should have anti-theft and anti-sabotage qualities.
9. The design of sleepers and fastenings should be such that it is possible to remove and fix the rails easily.
Also, read – Functions of Sleepers
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