A　railway　continuous　bridge　is　generally　provided　with　one　fixed　pier,　which　bears　all　the　longitudinal　seismic　load　of　the　superstructure,　which　is　likely　to　result　in　damage　to　the　fixed　pier　or　the　expansion　joint　and　even　lead　to　falling-beam　damage　of　the　approach　bridge.　To　this　end,　aseismic　thought　of　continuous　beam　bridge　based　on　the　aseismic　potential　of　the　sliding　piers　was　put　forward　and　an　acceleration　activating　locking　dowel　was　installed　between　the　sliding　piers　and　the　continuous　girder.　The　sliding　piers　can　bear　the　longitudinal　seismic　force　of　the　superstructure　cooperating　with　the　fixed　pier　once　the　earthquake　occurs,　improving　the　overall　aseismic　performance　of　continuous　bridge.　Meanwhile,　a　typical　project　of　a　railway　continuous　bridge　was　taken　as　an　example　to　illustrate　the　earthquake　reduction　principle　of　the　locking　dowel　and　the　influence　of　the　locking　dowel　on　the　sliding　piers.　The　effect　of　span,　the　number　of　spans　and　the　temperature　difference　on　the　earthquake　reduction　effect　of　the　locking　dowel　was　analyzed.　According　to　the　research　results,　the　locking　dowel　can　significantly　reduce　the　seismic　response　on　the　fixed　pier　and　longitudinal　displacement　response　of　beam-end,　and　thus　improve　the　overall　aseismic　performance　of　continuous　bridge.　Besides,　for　conventional　railway　continuous　bridge,　as　the　earthquake　reduction　effect　of　the　locking　dowel　was　less　affected　by　the　change　of　environment　temperature,　the　locking　dowel　can　be　set　according　to　the　annual　average　temperature.　©　2017,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　the　China　Railway　Society.　All　right　reserved.