Dear colleagues,

I would appreciate your input regarding the acceptable maximum longitudinal gradient for installing turnouts (switches/points) on slab track in metro systems.

In particular, I am interested in:

• Standard or recommended maximum gradients in your practice.
• Absolute maximum values that have been applied in exceptional cases (if any);
• Any relevant experiences, constraints, or safety considerations (e.g., braking performance, drainage, track geometry stability, etc.).

This question refers to turnouts located on concrete slab track sections, typically within underground metro alignments.

Thank you in advance for your feedback and for sharing your experience.

Best regards,

Zdenka Popović