A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or iverge. This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes (assuming they are of the same gauge), provided by 'points' (US: switches) and signalling. In a simple case where two routes with one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to allow trains to transfer from one route to the other. More complicated junctions are needed to permit trains to travel in either direction after joining the new route, for example by providing a triangular track layout. In this latter case, the three points of the triangle may be given different names, for example using points of the compass as well as the name of the overall place.