Abstract: A support device has a boot 2 made of elastic material, having a bottom 3 and a peripheral sidewall 4 attached to the bottom and extending upwardly therefrom. The boot is configured to envelop a crosstie 1 from the base thereof up to a predetermined height on the side faces of the crosstie. The boot includes a first region 13 and a second region 14 for contact with the crosstie, the first region being formed at the free margin of the sidewall, and the second region being formed by a peripheral bead 11 located around the crosstie and exhibiting a predetermined dynamic stiffness. The inner surface 16 of the sidewall is slanted towards the inside of the boot with respect to the side faces of the crosstie starting from a zone located at the height of the bead so as to form a space 17 between the slanted inner surface and the side faces of the crosstie.

Abstract: The sole of each rail of a railroad track rests at regular intervals on a cushion of shock-absorbing material, the stiffness of each shock-absorbing cushion being such that the cushions form alternate resilient and rapid supports. Each cushion is placed in a shaped housing in a concrete sole plate and the rail is fastened on the sole plate. The concrete sole plates of the rail can be fastened into the ground, possibly with the interpositioning of an anti-vibration sole plate, or can be fastened on a concrete slab which is laid over anti-vibration supports.