Abstract: A sweeper bristle element especially adapted for the use in a broom machine for a railway road bed or track. The sweeper bristle elements of the broom machine have a solid rubber core and layers of rubber coated fabric encircling the solid rubber core. The fabric in the rubber coated layers provide sufficient strength to resist breakage during cleaning and also provides sufficient flexibility to improve the wear of the bristle elements. The fabric is spiral wound with a thin layer of nylon material and then cured to form an integral and compact bristle element. The nylon material is then unwrapped and the bristle element is cut into a plurality of small length bristle elements.