Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tamping sleepers of a track panel, supported in a ballast bed, by means of a tamping unit, comprising two tamping tools opposite one another which, during tamping of the respective sleeper, are lowered into the ballast bed with vibrations being applied, and are moved towards each other with a squeezing movement while the track panel is held in a raised position. In this, an evaluation device is used to monitor a squeezing speed of at least one tamping tool, with a current value of the squeezing speed being compared with a limit value when a predefined squeezing time or a predefined squeezing distance is reached, and with a notification signal indicating whether the current value is above the limit value. This may indicate that a void located below the sleeper has not yet been sufficiently filled.

Abstract: A rail vehicle has a vehicle frame which, supported on on-track undercarriages, is mobile on the rails of a track. The rail vehicle includes a first measuring platform with a first inertial measuring system for recording a track course. A second measuring platform is arranged on the rail vehicle, with a second inertial measuring system and at least one sensor device for recording surface points of a track section. The second measuring platform and the second inertial measuring system enable the movement of the sensor device in the three-dimensional space to be recorded in a simple manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining correction values for correcting a position of a track, with an actual geometry of a track section being recorded by means of an inertial measurement device arranged on a track inspection vehicle while the track is being travelled on, and with measuring data the recorded track section being output by the inertial measurement device to an evaluation device. In this case, a virtual inertial measurement of the same track section with a target geometry is calculated by means of a simulation device in order to obtain simulated measuring data for the target geometry, with correction values correcting the position of the track being determined by subtracting the simulated measuring data from the measuring data of the inertial measurement device by means of a computing unit. With the method according to the invention, correction values are determined directly on the basis of the measuring data of the inertial measurement device.

Abstract: A track maintenance machine for carrying out track position corrections includes a machine frame movable by on-track undercarriages on rails of a track and a track position measuring system having two outer measuring devices and a central measuring device with a common reference base, relative to a longitudinal direction of the machine. The measuring devices are defined in their position relative to the rails. Two mutually aligned measuring chords are tensioned or stretched as a reference base between the outer measuring devices. The central measuring device includes a measuring transducer for detecting position data of the two measuring chords. The position data are fed to an evaluation device in order to determine a longitudinal level for each rail and a versine. Thus, two measuring chords are sufficient to detect all of the track parameters. A method for operation of a track maintenance machine is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a track maintenance machine for tamping sleepers installed on a ballast bed of a track, comprising a machine frame movable on rail-based running gears, track lifting and lining units for correcting the track geometry as well as two 1-sleeper tamping units arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine that work independently of one another, with each tamping unit comprising at least four tamping unit segments that work independently of one another, adjustable in height via vertical drives and horizontally shiftable in the transverse direction of the machine via transverse drives, with each tamping unit segment comprising at least one tamping tool carrier, with opposing tamping tools being mounted on the tamping tool carrier and coupled via a vibration drive.

Abstract: A welding unit for welding rails of a track has a unit lower edge forming a lower boundary of the welding unit, with regard to a vertical, and a shearing device provided for removing a weld bead. A rail base section of the shearing device is designed to be lowered, relative to the welding unit, by way of a drive from a rest position situated above the unit lower edge into a shearing position situated below the unit lower edge. Thus, the welding operation can be carried out without lifting the rails from the sleepers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control and operating system for working on a track with a track maintenance machine, with at least one machine frame movable on rail-based running gears, comprising working devices , a sensor and measuring system for recording the position data of the working devices and for detecting objects of the track, in particular sleepers, rails, and, as the case may be, obstacles, and further comprising an arrangement of cameras for optical detection of the working devices and the working areas. It is provided that a control station without free visual range of a respective working device is set up at a location inside or outside the track maintenance machine and that the control station comprises a display device for virtual operation, control, and/or monitoring of the track maintenance machine. This achieves greater flexibility during working operation, an extension of the controlling and operating options, and a significant increase in safety and ergonomic design at the workstation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a track maintenance machine with a conveyor or excavating chain arrangement for removing and collecting railway ballast and/or other formation or substructure layers of a track structure, comprising a cutter bar which can be positioned below a track and which has at least two bar elements, each adjustable in position and alignment, and which is attached on the one hand to an ascent channel and on the other hand to a return channel, furthermore comprising a guided excavating chain consisting of a plurality of chain links, wherein the arrangement can be fastened to a machine frame by means of at least one height-adjustable suspension device. It is provided that the excavating chain is designed to be divisible, that the bar elements can be connected via a coupling to form a closed overall unit, and that the arrangement can be variably adjusted in its excavating working width by adjusting the position of the bar elements.

Abstract: A system for surveying a track includes two outer measuring devices and a central measuring device disposed therebetween, relative to the longitudinal direction of the track. Each measuring device has a specific position relative to the track in order to detect geometric track parameters. One outer measuring device includes a camera with a recording area in which a measuring object of the other outer measuring device and a measuring object of the central measuring device are disposed. The camera is connected to an evaluation device for pattern recognition. All of the position parameters of the track required for precise lining and levelling of the track are thus recorded by a single camera. A method of operating the system is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a position of a rail vehicle, moving on a track, by means of an optical measuring system comprising a stereo camera system and an evaluation device, wherein by means of the stereo camera system an image pair is recorded from a reference point in a lateral environment of the track and wherein by means of photogrammetry the position of the rail vehicle is determined in relation to the reference point. The position of the rail vehicle is additionally detected by means of a radio-based measuring system for real-time locating by means of anchor modules attached to the rail vehicle and by means of transponders attached to several reference points, wherein position data of the two measuring systems are compared by means of a central system unit. In this way, two independent measuring systems are used to generate position data.

Abstract: A method performs compaction of a track ballast bed by use of a tamping unit having two oppositely positioned tamping tools which, actuated with a vibration, are lowered into the track ballast bed during a tamping operation and moved towards one another with a squeezing motion. In this, it is provided that at least one variable vibration parameter is specified in dependence on a duration of penetration into the track ballast bed, until a required penetration depth of the tamping tools has been reached.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for stabilising a track with a ballast bed, comprising a machine frame supported on rail-based running gears and a stabilising unit which can be rolled on rails of the track by means of work unit rollers, and which comprises a vibration exciter for generating a dynamic impact force as well as a loading device for generating a load acting on the track. Therein, the loading device is coupled with a control device for periodically changing the load during a stabilising process. The periodic change of the load alternately influences the near and far range of the load application. This leads to improved compaction effectiveness compared to a constant load.

Abstract: A track maintenance machine for compaction of ballast under sleepers of a track includes a machine frame movable by undercarriages on the track and a tamping unit which includes an electric vibration drive for vibratory actuation of tamping tools. An electric intermediate circuit has an electric energy store or storage device. An electric machine is associated with at least one undercarriage and coupled for generator operation to the intermediate circuit. The electric vibration drive is coupled to the intermediate circuit for supply. In this way, braking energy is used in an optimal manner for supplying the vibration drive. A method for operation of a track maintenance machine is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for stabilising a track, having a machine frame supported on rail-based running gears and at least one height-adjustable stabilising unit which can be rolled on rails of the track by means of work unit rollers, comprising a vibration exciter with rotating unbalanced masses for generating an impact force acting dynamically in a track plane normal to a longitudinal direction of the track as well as a linear drive for generating a load acting on the track.

Abstract: The invention concerns a track maintenance machine for tamping a track having sleepers supported in a ballast bed with rails fitted to the same, with a machine frame that is mobile on on-track undercarriages and with a tamping unit which comprises tamping tools to be lowered into the ballast bed and set to vibrate and to be squeezed towards one another, wherein a camera for transmitting real-time images to an output means is arranged upstream of the tamping unit in a working direction. A first camera system is arranged upstream of the tamping unit in working direction here for recording a first surface area of the track as a first image section. In addition, a second camera system is arranged downstream of the tamping unit in working direction for recording a second surface area of the track as a second image section, wherein the recorded image sections partly overlap and wherein the output means is equipped for issuing the image sections in a merged image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tamping tine for a tamping machine for tamping a track, including a tine shaft which has at its upper end a retaining portion for fastening in a tine mount and which merges at its lower end into a tine plate. In this, a sensitive element of a sensor is arranged in a recess of the tine shaft, and the tamping tine includes a coupling element for transmission of a sensor signal. In this manner, the tamping tine fulfils a sensor function for recording measuring values occurring in the tamping tine.

Abstract: The invention relates to an energy supply system for a mobile resistance welding machine for flash-butt welding of track rails, comprising a combustion engine (1) coupled to a generator (2) as well as a charging device (5) for charging an energy store (7), wherein the energy store (7) is a buffer element of an intermediate circuit (13) to which a welding inverter (14) is connected. In this, the energy supply system comprises an island grid to which the generator (2) is connected and which is coupled to the intermediate circuit (13) by a controlled power converter (16).

Abstract: A welding assembly (1) for welding two rails (2) of a track includes two rail clamping units (5) movable towards one another in an assembly longitudinal direction (4). A power rail (10) provided for power transmission is configured as an assembly guide (3), extending in an assembly longitudinal direction (4), which is spaced from displacement drives (11) and connects both rail clamping units (5) to one another. The power rail (10) is equipped with a cooling device and displaceable in the assembly longitudinal direction (4) relative to the rail clamping unit (5) equipped with the power rail contacts (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treatment of a ballast track by means of track maintenance machine which comprises a lifting unit, having gripping rollers for gripping a track grid formed of rails and sleepers and lifting drives for lifting the track grid, and a measuring system for comparing to a target position of the track, wherein the lifting unit is set in vibration by means of a vibration exciter and the vibration is transmitted to the track grid, wherein the lifting unit is controlled by means of a control device in such a way that, during a lifting operation, the lifting unit is set in vibration, and the track grid is first lifted to above the target position and subsequently lowered to the target position. By means of the method according to the invention it is possible to carry out in a simple manner a lifting of the track grid with simultaneous stabilization of the track position.

Abstract: A track maintenance wagon (1) for picking up and/or laying a track panel (10), comprising a wagon frame (2) supported on on-track undercarriages (4), wherein two longitudinal beams (7) of the wagon frame (2) delimit a free opening and are transversely displaceable relative to one another, so that the free opening is changeable as to its width and, in a working position, has greater opening dimensions as a horizontal projection of the track panel (19), and wherein crane rails (8) are arranged on the longitudinal beams (7) for a gantry crane (11) mobile in the longitudinal direction (3) of the wagon. In this, buffers (13) are arranged at two free ends (12) of the longitudinal beams (7).