Abstract: An adzer skid assembly having a frame and a base plate attached to the frame. The base plate has an adzer unit attached thereto. The frame has a receptacle for slidably attaching the frame to a railroad track maintenance machine so that up and down motion of the railroad track maintenance machine does not produce up and down motion of the adzer skid assembly. Hydraulic cylinders are attached to the baseplate and are attached to skids, wherein the hydraulic cylinders raise and lower the skids relative to the frame and baseplate and determine the cutting depth of the adzer unit. During the adze cutting process the adzer unit is supported entirely by the skids as the skids move across railroad crossties.

Abstract: An adzer skid assembly having a frame and a base plate attached to the frame. The base plate has an adzer unit attached thereto. The frame has a receptacle for slidably attaching the frame to a railroad track maintenance machine so that up and down motion of the railroad track maintenance machine does not produce up and down motion of the adzer skid assembly. Hydraulic cylinders are attached to the baseplate and are attached to skids, wherein the hydraulic cylinders raise and lower the skids relative to the frame and baseplate and determine the cutting depth of the adzer unit. During the adze cutting process the adzer unit is supported entirely by the skids as the skids move across railroad crossties.

Abstract: An adzer mount assembly having a slider box with a vertical slider and horizontal sliders. The vertical slider has an adzer which can be precisely positioned over a crosstie by hydraulic transverse movement of the slider box and vertical movement of the vertical slider. Because the horizontal sliders are mounted firmly to the frame of a railroad adzer machine the adzer is maintained firmly in a precise position over the crosstie during cutting, allowing precision planeing and surfacing of the crosstie.

Abstract: A ballast machine for plowing ballast from the outer ends of rail supporting cross ties of a railroad bed. The machine is provided with a ballast ridge plow assembly including a slider box having an inner section which is vertically movable by a hydraulic actuator. The slider box is mounted to the frame of the ballast machine. The ridge plow assembly further includes a blade assembly having ballast engaging blades which are disposed for biased, pivotal movement responsive to engagement of the blades with an obstruction on the railroad bed or cross ties. Means are provided for vertical positioning of the blade assembly and for movement of the blade assembly to an "in and up" position for stowing the blades against the sides of the machine and for movement of the blade assembly to a "down and out" position for the ballast dressing operation. The "in and up" movement and the "down and out" movement are both responsive to displacement of the inner section of the slider box.

Abstract: A ballast regulator machine for dressing the ballast of a railroad bed during movement of the machine along tracks on the railroad bed has a frame for supporting various assemblies for distributing the ballast across the bed and ballast removal apparatus for removing ballast from between the rails to the outside of the rail which comprises a rotary broom assembly including a rotary broom for sweeping the ballast from between the tracks. The broom assembly is disposed for propelling the ballast rearwardly during the sweeping operation. A ballast deflector assembly is pivotally mounted to the rotary broom assembly and disposed for deflecting said rearwardly propelled ballast to the outside of the tracks. The deflector assembly is provided a baffle for deflecting the ballast in a direction which is substantially normal to the center line of the ballast machine.

Abstract: A ballast machine for plowing ballast from the outer ends of rail supporting cross ties of a railroad bed. A ballast tie plow assembly is mounted to the frame of the ballast machine for vertical movement thereon. The tie plow assembly includes ballast engaging blades which are disposed for biased, pivotal movement responsive to engagement of the blades with an obstruction on the railroad bed or cross ties. Means are provided for vertical positioning of the tie plow assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for excavating ballast from adjacent to the ends of and beneath the cross ties of a railroad bed and for cleaning the excavated ballast for return thereof to the railroad bed. The apparatus includes a vehicle for supporting a pair of excavating assemblies on opposite sides of the vehicle. Each excavating assembly includes a pair of spaced excavating wheels for excavating ballast from adjacent to the opposite sides of the cross ties and an undercutter for excavating ballast from beneath the cross ties at opposite ends thereof. A discrete cleaning station is provided for each excavating wheel to receive and clean the ballast picked up by each excavating wheel. Means are provided for conveying and discharging the cleaned ballast back onto the railroad bed.

Abstract: Apparatus for excavating ballast from a railroad bed adjacent to the cross ties of a railroad track and for cleaning the excavated ballast for return thereof to the railroad bed. The apparatus includes a vehicle for supporting a pair of excavating assemblies on opposite sides of the support vehicle and thus on opposite sides of the railroad track and a discrete cleaning station for each of the separate excavating assemblies. Each cleaning station is disposed for receiving and cleaning the ballast excavated by the associated excavating assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for excavating ballast from a railroad bed and for cleaning the excavated ballast for return thereof to the railroad bed. The apparatus includes a vehicle for supporting a pair of excavating assemblies on opposite sides of the support vehicle and thus on opposite sides of the railroad track and a discrete cleaning station for each of the separate excavating assemblies. Each cleaning station is disposed for receiving and cleaning the ballast excavated by the associated excavating assembly. Each excavating assembly includes, in spaced, serial relation, a forward excavating wheel, an undercutter, and a second or rear excavating wheel.