Rail

Rails (also known as minecart tracks) are non-solid blocks that provide a path along which minecarts can travel.

Obtaining
Rails can be mined with anything, but pickaxes are the quickest.

They also drop as items when:
 * the block beneath them falls, is moved, or removed
 * a liquid flows over them
 * a piston moves them into a space with no floor below them

Natural generation
Rails can be found naturally in abandoned mine shafts.

Usage
When placed a rail will configure itself to be straight or curved according to rail objects around it.
 * If there are no other rails adjacent it will be placed as a straight track oriented north-south.
 * If placed at the end of an existing stretch of track (so any of rails, activator rails, detector rails, and powered rails) the new rail be a straight track section oriented to continue the existing track, either east-west or north-south.
 * If placed beside an existing stretch of track (of any type) the newly placed rail will be straight and oriented north-south.
 * If there are two adjacent rails on its level, or one level up or down, the newly placed rail will configure itself to connect the other two. This means that it will be placed as a straight or curved track as needed.
 * If placed between three adjacent rails (thus always forming a T-junction) the newly placed rail will be placed as a curved track south-to-east, north-to-east, or south-to-west to join those sides.

Separate tracks laid adjacent but at the next level lower or higher can sometimes cause issues but normally will not interact with the switched railer

A cart moving with enough speed is able to jump single block gaps in a rail line and continue on travelling.

South-east rule


When entering a Tee intersection from the "back of" the curved rail a mine cart will travel straight through the intersection. Entering from either of the other two legs it will follow the curve.

In a 4-way intersection constructed to have no curved rail a cart will pass straight through in the direction of the continuous line. When entering the 4-way from east or west a cart will turn according to the South-East Rule.

Downhill rule


At non-curve track intersections minecarts will always travel downhill if they can. This is known as the downhill rule and overrides the south-east rule.

Ramp clearance/one-way effect


A block placed above the track at the downhill end of a ramp will prevent minecarts from traveling down the slope, but not up. In order for a minecart to move down a diagonal tunnel, there must be just as much clearance as a player needs to walk it.

Curve intersections


If a straight track piece leads to a curve block and isn't attached to the curve, a minecart will run over the gap and continue to go straight over the curve. This is not applicable with other types of rails.

Notably, the minecart can exceed the normal 8 m/s speed limit while it jumps over the gap. For example, by placing intersections on every other block of a straight track, it is possible to travel at 10 m/s in a straight direction (but it will be a very uncomfortable ride).

Data values
Every rail has an ID name of  and stores its orientation in its block data. A rail also has a block state which is expected to replace the functionality of block data in a future version.

Block data
A rail's block data specifies the directions to which it connects.

Trivia

 * When walking on a block that has a rail on top, you will hear the sound of the block you're walking on, but if you jump (while still walking), you will hear the sound of iron.
 * Rails are approximately 2-foot gauge (the gauge is the distance between the rails).

Gallery
Schiene Raíl Rails Sín レール 레일 Spoor Tory Рельсы 铁轨