▁railway ▁turn outs ▁( or ▁' points ' ▁in ▁the ▁UK ) ▁in ▁respect ▁to ▁whether ▁they ▁are ▁diver gent ▁or ▁conver gent . ▁When ▁a ▁train ▁travers es ▁a ▁turn out ▁in ▁a ▁facing ▁direction , ▁it ▁may ▁diver ge ▁onto ▁either ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁routes . ▁When ▁travel led ▁in ▁a ▁trailing ▁direction , ▁the ▁two ▁routes ▁conver ge ▁onto ▁each ▁other . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁history ▁of ▁rail ways ▁in ▁Britain , ▁when ▁sign alling ▁and ▁inter lock ing ▁were ▁primitive , ▁and ▁staff ▁were ▁in ex per ien ced , ▁facing ▁turn outs ▁were ▁a ▁ha z ard , ▁because ▁a ▁train ▁trav elling ▁at ▁high ▁speed ▁could ▁be ▁accident ally ▁switched ▁into ▁a ▁slow ▁speed ▁diver gence ▁or ▁dead ▁end . ▁F acing ▁turn outs ▁were ▁therefore ▁b anned , ▁except ▁when ▁absolutely ▁necessary . ▁However , ▁facing ▁turn outs ▁cannot ▁be ▁avoided ▁where ▁there ▁are ▁crossing ▁loops ▁on ▁single ▁lines . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁avail ability ▁of ▁elect r ically - inter locked ▁sign alling ▁in ▁modern ▁times , ▁the ▁rule ▁against ▁facing ▁turn outs ▁has ▁been ▁relax ed . ▁ ▁Diam ond ▁cross ings ▁ ▁F ixed ▁diam ond ▁cross ings ▁( with ▁no ▁moving ▁parts ) ▁count ▁as ▁trailing ▁points ▁in ▁both ▁directions , ▁although ▁in ▁very ▁exception al ▁circumstances ▁such ▁as ▁prop elling ▁a ▁train ▁in ▁reverse ▁over ▁fine ▁angle ▁diam ond ▁cross ings ▁they ▁can ▁der ail ▁w ag ons ▁as ▁they ▁bunch ▁up . ▁