Abstract: A machine for cleaning a ballast bed has, in front of a take-up device relative to a working direction, a first signal receiver—suitable for position determination in a global navigational satellite system—for scanning an actual track position. A second signal receiver connected to the machine for scanning a new track position created by laying down the raised track onto the re-applied ballast bed is arranged downstream. Both signal receivers are associated with a control device designed to act on the drives that displace a track-lifting device relative to the machine frame.

Abstract: A machine for cleaning a ballast bed has, in front of a take-up device relative to a working direction, a first signal receiver—suitable for position determination in a global navigational satellite system—for scanning an actual track position. A second signal receiver connected to the machine for scanning a new track position created by laying down the raised track onto the re-applied ballast bed is arranged downstream. Both signal receivers are associated with a control device designed to act on the drives that displace a track-lifting device relative to the machine frame.

Abstract: Hardened metal inserts are inserted in a tine plate of a tamping tine for tamping ballast of a railroad track. The cylindrical inserts have a boundary surface bordering on a side surface of the tine plate, thus forming a part thereof. Owing to that configuration, the abrasion resistance of the side surfaces can be improved.

Abstract: During the installation of a catenary cable of a catenary of a track, the catenary cable is pulled from a storage drum, on which it is wound, and guided over winch wheels of a friction winch while being held under tension. From there, the catenary cable is passed onto a mounting roller with a pull-off resistance producing an installation tension. The pull-off resistance is created by the friction winch and counteracts a pull-off force of the catenary cable. Between the winch wheels of the friction winch, the cable tension is gradually increased up to the pull-off resistance.

Abstract: A tamping tine has a flat inclined tine surface that encloses an acute angle with a front surface of a tine plate at the lower end of a shank. The inclined tine surface is delimited, with regard to a longitudinal direction of the tamping tine, by a bottom edge of the tine plate and by a shank section line defined by an intersection of the inclined tine surface with the entire rear portion of the shank. A reference line on the inclined tine surface is distanced farther from an upper end point—positioned at the maximum distance from the bottom edge of the tine plate—of the inclined tine surface than from a shank end line. This ensures an easier penetration by the tamping tine into the ballast and it provides for an improved attachment of hardened metal plates for providing abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A machine is configured for tamping a track composed of rails that are fastened to ties resting on ballast. The rails extend in a longitudinal direction and have a field side and a gauge side, respectively, and the ballast forms tie supports located on the field side and the gauge side. The machine has a centerline extending in the longitudinal direction and comprises tamping units mounted opposite one another transversely of the longitudinal direction, each tamping unit having four tamping tine pairs composed of tamping tines and squeeze drives. The tamping tine pairs are arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction and positioned, alternating in the longitudinal direction, at a shorter distance from the centerline for tamping tie supports located on the gauge side of the rails, and at a longer distance from the centerline for tamping tie supports located at the field side of the rails.

Abstract: A rescue vehicle adapted for driving in tunnels, mines or at oxygen-poor high altitudes comprises a Diesel engine, a first conduit connected to the engine for supplying ambient air to the engine, bottles of compressed air carried on the vehicle, a second conduit connecting the bottles of compressed air to the engine for supplying the air to the engine, and a switching arrangement for selectively interrupting the flow of the ambient air from the first conduit to the engine when the air is supplied to the engine through the second conduit and for interrupting the flow of air through the second conduit to the engine when the ambient air flows to the engine through the first conduit.

Abstract: A mobile track leveling and lining machine comprises a frame and a track lifting and lining device which comprises a rigid tool carrier including a pulling member rigidly connected to the carrier, the pulling member having a free end linked to the frame, and two track lifting tools associated with each track rail and spacedly mounted on the tool carrier. A single pair of flanged wheels arranged between the two track lifting tools serves as lining tools and mounts the tool carrier on a common axle for mobility on the track rails. A power-actuated lifting drive is associated with each track rail and links an end of the tool carrier opposite to the frame end for pivotal movement in all directions to the frame, the lifting drives being arranged to lift the track vertically, and a power-actuated lining drive links the tool carrier to the frame and is arranged to move the track in a transverse direction.

Abstract: A mobile track working machine arranged for intermittent advancement along the track comprises a drive, a brake for braking the driven wheels at respective working sites between the intermittent advancement of the machine, a speedometer generating a signal indicating the speed of advancement and a device generating a signal indicating the peripheral speed of the driven wheels. A fully electronically operated control arrangement for avoiding spinning of the driven wheels at the start of the advancement of the machine and locking of the wheels at braking includes a circuit having an input receiving the signals and an output connected to the drive and brake for constantly maintaining the nominal desired value of the drive and brake moments and for reducing the traction and brake forces in dependence on any drive or brake slippage.

Abstract: In a mobile machine for compacting ballast supporting a track, a machine frame carries a tie tamping unit and a track stabilization unit mounted rearwardly of the tamping unit in the operating direction of the machine. The track stabilization unit is mounted on the machine frame between the tamping unit and one of the undercarriages immediately following the tamping unit. No undercarriage supports the machine frame on the track between the tamping unit and the one undercarriage.

Abstract: A mobile rail contouring machine is arranged for continuously milling such running surface irregularities as ripples, corrugations and overflow metal from rail heads during the continuous movement of the machine along a railroad track. The machine comprises a frame, a rail contouring tool mounting linked to the frame, guide rollers for vertically and laterally guiding the mounting without play along the sides and the running surface of the rail head of each rail and for pressing the mounting thereagainst, and a rail contouring tool head including a tool holder arranged on the mounting. A rail contouring tool is mounted in the tool holder and the tool head is displaceable with respect to the mounting in directions extending parallel and perpendicularly to the track.

Abstract: A mobile rail grinding machine for grinding the running surface and inside of the railhead of the track rails comprises a forward, an intermediate and a rear grinding module spacedly arranged in an operating direction. The forward and rear modules each includes a carrier associated with each running surface half of each rail, a power drive for vertically moving the carriers, and two grinding wheels spaced on each carrier in the operating direction, each of the wheels having a circumferential grinding surface for grinding the associated running surface half. Flanged wheels guide each grinding module along the track rails. The intermediate grinding module has a carrier associated with each track rail, a power drive for moving the carriers parallel with respect to the track, and at least one grinding wheel on each carrier associated with the inside of the railhead of the associated rail for grinding the associated inside.

Abstract: A mobile track tamping machine has a vertically movable tamping tool assembly with pairs of tamping tools for tamping ballast under the track ties and an additional tamping tool reciprocable in the direction of the tie ends to box in the tamped ballast, as well as a vibratory surface tamper for tamping the ballast adjacent the tie ends. The additional tamping tool and the surface tamper are associated with each other in closely adjacent relationship next to the tie ends, the vibratory force of the surface tamper reaching at least to, preferably over the entire, reciprocatory path of the additional tamping tool.

Abstract: A mobile ballast cleaning machine useful for work in track switches and crossings comprises an endless ballast excavation chain including a chain stringer mounted in a transversely extending guide for excavating ballast underneath the track. The guide is adjustable to selected lengths for a corresponding change in the width of the ballast excavation. The excavated ballast is received on a ballast cleaning screen separating the ballast from fines to produce clean ballast, and cleaned ballast distributing conveyors and/or chutes are adjustably mounted for enabling the cleaned ballast to be distributed over the entire width of ballast excavation for selectively distributing the ballast within this width. The excavation chain and/or the distributing conveyors are mounted on mobile supports.

Abstract: A reference system for a track leveling and/or lining tamper comprises a reference wire or cord whose end and measuring points are held on bogies connected to the machine and laterally pressed against a selected track rail. A clamping mechanism is associated with the reference wire or cord and is fixedly connected to one or more of the bogies for selectively reducing and increasing the effective measuring length of the reference wire or cord between the end points thereof.

Abstract: A mobile track surveying apparatus comprises two spaced-apart bogies. Track gage and superelevation measuring devices as well as track grade and lateral alignment measuring devices are mounted on the two bogies, the latter including a theodolite mounted on a carrier plate on one bogie and a target mounted on a carrier plate on the other bogie, the theodolite and target defining an optical reference line determining the grade and alignment of the track.

Abstract: The chain tensioning device for an endless ballast conveyor chain comprises a first, transverse chain guide for a stringer arranged to extend transversely of the track and therebelow and two longitudinally extending, pivotal chain guides rising from the transverse chain guide for two stringers arranged laterally of the machine frame and extending from respective ends of the first stringer, guide rollers being mounted at the ends for guiding the stringers in a polygonal path. One of the chain guides comprises an upper and a lower part movable in relation to each other in the direction of chain elongation. A power drive moves the two chain guide parts to adjust the effective length of the chain guide and thus selectively shortens or lengthens the effective circumference of the endless chain.

Abstract: A tamping tool unit for a ballast tamping machine comprises a pair of reciprocatory tamping tools pivotally supported on axles which are rotatable in eccentric bearing bushings rotatably mounted on the axles. Rotation of the eccentric bearing bushings imparts a compound motion to the tamping tools consisting of a vertical and a horizontal component.

Abstract: Changes in acceleration caused by local track conditions are directly or indirectly measured as a car moves over a track section. The resultant signals are totalled to produce a signal or parameter characteristic of the track section condition, and this is compared with a comparison signal characteristic of a track condition norm.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring the lateral distance between adjacent tracks, a measuring axle has a wheel which is selectively engageable without play with a selected rail of one track while a pivotal projecting arm associates therewith has laterally movable mounted thereon a rolling element for adjusting to the lateral distance between the measuring axle and the rolling element. The rolling element is arranged to sense one rail of the adjacent track as it rolls therealong, and an indicator produces a measuring signal indicating the adjusted lateral distance.