pumping

In the context of a railway, it is the action of a sleeper/tie bouncing up and down over a waterlogged substructure, the effect of which is to fluidise the substructure and smear it all over the ballast in the surrounding area in the form of an objectionable brown paste, coincident with a loss of support under the sleeper/tie. The solution is to deep-reballast through the area, though temporary fixes may be made by cement grouting, if traffic conditions will not permit an immediate closure. Grouting doesn't last long and will need to be repeated at intervals.

The effect should be remedied early, as excessive pumping can lead to instabilities in rolling stock, rough riding and excess stresses in the rail foot, leading to premature rail failure and a need to replace.

Your heart is a good example of pumping. Muscle power is used to contract and increase the pressure in the heart chamber, because of the one-way valves the pressure results in a flow of blood to reach all the parts of the body.

The same principle, energy - pressure increase - delivering to destination can be applied on a wide range of liquids, gasses, soft solids etc.

Pumping can then be summarised as a mechanism using external energy to add some pressure to the "fluid" enabling it to reach the destination that may be at a higher location and overcome friction or resistance on the way.

There are a wide range of pumps available to satisfy all types of needs.

Guest (or anonymous CR4) if you intended any other pumping you are supposed to mark it off-topic.

Above re a couple of pictures, of internal gear pumps, billions of this type are in use around the world.

Pumping = Moving a fluid (gas or liquid) from one place to another - generally powered by motor or engine, sometimes a donkey or ass....

A (usually) private activity that small boys used to be told would adversely affect their visual capacity.

Finally someone said it!!! : ))))))))