Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory, machine-readable media for extracting railway fasteners and adjusting railway anchors are disclosed. A tie plate manipulator may be slidably coupled with a frame assembly and may include tie plate tools in an opposing arrangement and slidably coupled with a support framework. A fastener extractor may include fastener-extracting arms and pivot joints pivotably coupling the fastener-extracting arms with a subassembly. The fastener extractor may be slidably coupled with the frame assembly so that at least part of the fastener extractor is disposed over the tie plate manipulator. The fastener extractor may be coupled with the tie plate manipulator at least in part with a cylinder system. Each fastener-extracting arm may be adjustable to selectively engage and extract a railway fastener. The tie plate manipulator may be operable to engage and adjust a tie plate on the railway tie with the pair of tie plate tools.

Abstract: A dumping system for accurate and precise dumping of ballast rock, sand, and gravel (aggregate) to all areas of a railroad track (a track), all areas of a roadway, and all regions of the roadway is described. The dumping system includes a dump box, a dump gate having at least two delivery gates, an operating system, and a control system. The at least two delivery gates of the dump gate each include a top portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion of each of the at least two delivery gates is adjusted in real time by the operating system via the control system to accurately and precisely deliver the aggregate to all areas of the track or roadway. The dump box may further be rotated horizontally and vertically to aid with the delivery of aggregate to the track or roadway in an accurate manner.

Abstract: A highway grade crossing gate system comprises a gate arm configured to rotate 90 degrees from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa and a highway grade crossing gate mechanism coupled to the gate arm for controlling rotation of the gate arm without mechanical user adjustments but rather use user angle and time inputs/outputs. The highway grade crossing gate mechanism includes a DC motor to drive the gate arm up and down and a voltage reduction circuit to receive an input voltage from a battery and reduce the input voltage. The highway grade crossing gate mechanism further includes a human machine interface (HMI) to receive a plurality of programmable set points as operational variables for operation of the gate arm without manually adjustable cams on a main shaft that move contacts to open or close at some preset angular rotation.

Abstract: A catching device for a shunting coupling has a catching body with an end stop, a right-hand side lateral stop, and a left-hand side lateral stop that together form a holding body with an inner region delimited on three sides and an open side. The open side can be closed by a lock and the open side is dimensioned such that a specified shunting coupling can be moved into the inner region through the open side. The catching device has at least one elastic and/or elastically mounted stop element on one of the stops. There is also described a rail vehicle with such a catching device and also a method for locking a shunting coupling.

Abstract: A vehicle running system based on rail transport, including a track, a framework, two levitation devices and a running device. The track is provided with a slot, in which the framework is provided. The levitation devices are provided between the track and the framework, and a top surface of the levitation device is fixedly connected to a bottom surface of the framework through a suspension structure. The running device includes two conductor plates and two running structures. The conductor plates are fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the slot, and are corresponding to the running structures. The reluctance force of magnetic wheels is converted into a driving force to drive maglev vehicles, and the levitation force is converted into a guiding force to realize the self-stabilization of vehicle guidance. A vehicle running method based on this system is also provided.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a modular railcar comprises: a pair of trucks disposed near each end of the modular railcar; an underframe coupled to the pair of trucks and supported by the pair of trucks. The underframe comprises a plurality of coupling apparatus. The plurality of coupling apparatus are configured to couple a modular top container to the underframe. According to some embodiments, a modular top container comprises: a floor panel configured to transport a lading; and a plurality of coupling apparatus coupled to the floor panel. The plurality of coupling apparatus are configured to couple the modular top container to a modular railcar. The floor panel is configured to support the weight of the lading when detached from the modular railcar.

Abstract: A Rail Drone can include: a payload interface, a drivetrain, and a rail platform 515. The Rail Drone can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable set of components. The Rail Drone can integrate a standardized payload interface and an autonomous electric road vehicle platform into a rolling stock architecture. The Rail Drone can be a stand-alone, payload-agnostic, motive element which can be independently or cooperatively capable of carrying heavy loads across long distances at various cruising speeds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for singulating and transferring railroad tie plates is disclosed. The singulating system includes a front chute configured to collect one or more articles, a singulating frame, a pickup assembly operably engaged with the singulating frame, a magnetic roller of the pickup assembly and a roller belt of the pickup assembly wrapped, at least in part, around the magnetic roller. The magnetic roller and the roller belt are configured to pick up the one or more articles from the front chute and transfer the one or more articles to a different location.

Abstract: A motorized container carrier can be configured to travel along a suspended railway. The motorized container carrier can include at least one motorized trolley configured to move the motorized container carrier along the suspended railway. The motorized container carrier can include a plurality of end beams with container engagement devices configured to interact with containers of various lengths. In some embodiments, the container engagement devices are twist locks. The motorized container carrier can include a system of bumpers and/or guide wheels.

Abstract: An arrangement for positioning a transformer in a rail vehicle, where the rail vehicle has a transformer support which fastens the transformer at a predetermined position in the rail vehicle. The transformer support is arranged on an underframe of the rail vehicle. The transformer is connected to the transformer support via a sliding guide, wherein a positional change of the transformer relative to the underframe of the rail vehicle can be set by way of the sliding guide. The sliding guide is a hydrostatic sliding guide.

Abstract: A mounting interface for attaching supporting components to a buffer of a rail vehicle. The interface has a mounting body with a component fastening region and an attachment region that is different therefrom. The component fastening region is equipped with fastening elements and/or holes for attaching the components. The attachment region is formed in such a way that it can be fastened to at least two fastening points at the rear side of a buffer flange using buffer screws. There is also described a buffer system and a rail vehicle with such a mounting interface.

Abstract: A wheel traction device is adapted for providing traction for a wheel of a vehicle to escape from a mud ground during rotation of the wheel, and includes: a guiding unit having a guiding portion adapted to abut against the wheel; a bearing unit that is detachably connected to the guiding unit, and that has a bearing portion adapted to be positioned on the mud ground such that, during rotation of the wheel, the bearing unit and the guiding unit are prevented from being driven by the rotation of the wheel to move relative to the mud ground, thereby allowing the wheel to roll over the bearing portion under guidance of the guiding portion; and a fastening unit that detachably fastens the bearing and guiding units together.

Abstract: An underframe end structure without a bolster beam for a rail vehicle, including an underframe end beam, an underframe edge beam, a coupler mounting base, coupler support beams, and oblique support beams, where the front of the coupler mounting base is connected to the underframe end beam through the oblique support beams, two sides of the coupler mounting base are connected to the underframe edge beam through the coupler support beams, so that quadrilateral frame structures are respectively formed on the two sides of the coupler mounting base, the oblique support beams form an included angle of 55° to 80° with a forward opening, and the coupler support beams form an included angle of 120° to 140° with a backward opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a platform door control apparatus based on a double 2-vote-2 architecture, including a security communication and logic processing module, a driver collection module, and a maintenance module, the security communication and logic processing module is separately connected to the driver collection module and the maintenance module, and both the security communication and logic processing module and the driver collection module are devices using the double 2-vote-2 architecture. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages of effectively improving linkage efficiency of a signal system and a platform door system, and the like.

Abstract: A system for electrically connecting a vehicle to track electrodes, the system comprising vehicle electrodes configured to be electrically connected with a respective one of the track electrodes; actuators operatively connecting the vehicle electrodes to a structure of the vehicle for displacement of the vehicle electrodes relative to the structure of the vehicle, the actuators operable to vary distances between the vehicle electrodes and the track electrodes; sensors operatively mounted to one of the vehicle or track electrodes, the sensors detecting variations in the distances; and a controller operatively connected to the actuators for actuating the actuators as a function of the variations in the distances detected by the sensors.

Abstract: A transaxle of a rail vehicle includes: a power assembly; an axle body; a running wheel; a guiding frame; a horizontal wheel; and a connecting rod component, including a first transverse pull rod and a second transverse pull rod, where when the rail vehicle turns left, the horizontal wheel cooperates with a rail beam to drive the guiding frame to swing and drive the first transverse pull rod to move together, and the second transverse pull rod is driven by the first transverse pull rod to drive the running wheel to swing to the left, and when the rail vehicle turns right, the horizontal wheel cooperates with the rail beam to drive the guiding frame to swing and drive the first transverse pull rod to move together, and the second transverse pull rod is driven by the first transverse pull rod to drive the running wheel to swing to the right.

Abstract: A steering mechanism for a rail vehicle includes two steering arms, each including a pair of support arms that have a joining component with a recess. The two steering arms are articulated in a manner that maintains a minimum separation between the steering arms so that the arms can rotate relative to one another. The minimum separation is maintained by an insert that installs into the joining component recesses components of each of the steering arms. The insert has two sides, each side having a flexible material and forming a shape that mates with the recess. The insert provides resistance to the rotation between the first and second steering arms, and the resistance depends on the stiffness of the flexible material of the insert.

Abstract: A drive system for a vehicle includes a plurality of electric traction motors, each mechanically coupled to at least one drive wheel to generate traction. At least one traction power converter is connected on an AC voltage side to at least one electric traction motor to supply the electric traction motor with electric power. A traction control unit for controlling at least one traction power converter is provided and is designed to control the at least one traction power converter while the vehicle is moving based on electrical output alternating quantities of the at least one traction power converter. A rotational movement of the at least one drive wheel of the vehicle during standstill of the vehicle is not detected by a separate detection unit based on the output alternating quantities.

Abstract: A rolling vehicle track including a first wall and a second wall each positioned between and connected to a third wall and a fourth wall. The track further includes a bracket having a first bracket portion, a second bracket portion, a third bracket portion, and a fourth bracket portion, the first bracket portion connected to the third wall, and the fourth bracket portion connected to the first wall. The track further includes the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall defining a first quadrilateral chamber. The track further includes the first bracket portion, the second bracket portion, the third bracket portion, and the first wall defining a second quadrilateral chamber, the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, the fourth wall, and the bracket are interconnected without welding.

Abstract: To locate a shunt, the shunt includes an RF transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit an identifier of the shunt such as the configured shunt frequency. The shunt may include switches or memory locations that may be configured by an installer to correspond to the configured shunt frequency. Other embodiments employ switches or sensors influenced by jumpers installed in the shunt to configure the frequency of the shunt. A portable device receives a transmission including the identifier and displays it along with an indication of the received signal strength of the transmission, and maintenance personnel move the portable device along the track to locate the highest received signal strength, which indicates the location of the shunt. The shunt may also include a test circuit that may be configurable to generate a test frequency, determine a parameter indicative of shunt performance, and output a signal based on the parameter.