Abstract: A railroad wheel impact load detection test panel includes a secondary instrumentation rail proximate a field side of a primary or running rail of a section of railroad track, and elevated a prescribed distance so that the wheels of a rail car traverse the instrumentation rail within the test panel. The instrumentation rail includes an optical strain gauge to sense the wheel impact load. The sensed impact data is correlated with wheel damage signatures to identify wheels to be restored or replaced before failure occurs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle displaceable along aerial conductors of an electricity transmission line. The vehicle includes a body having arms. Each arm has a first end pivotably mounted to the body and a second distal end. A motorized wheel is mounted to each arm to engage one of the conductors to displace the vehicle. Support rotors have at least two blades. Each blade has an arm portion extending from the support rotor and a contact portion extending from the arm portion to engage one of the conductors to temporarily support the vehicle. An arm displacement mechanism engages the arms, and is operable to displace the arms in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the vehicle to move the arms together and apart.

Abstract: A railroad switch position indicator configured for direct attachment to switch points which guide a train from one track to another. The indicator has first and second rotating reflector signals spring biased into a neutral position signaling caution. The first rotating reflector signal rotates in response to movement of the switch points against the spring bias while the second rotating reflector signal remains in neutral position when the switch points are lined for a first direction. The second rotating reflector signal rotates in response to movement of the switch points against the spring bias while the first set of reflectors remain in neutral position when the switch points are lined for a second direction.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for flexible rail switching components for container shuttles. In one embodiment, an example system for a shuttle may include an elongated spring steel plate, a first rail track component coupled to the elongated spring steel plate, a second rail track component coupled to the elongated spring steel plate and disposed adjacent to the first rail track component, and a third rail track component coupled to the elongated spring steel plate and disposed adjacent to the second rail track component. The elongated spring steel plate may be configured to be actuated from a first position to a second position. A distance between the first rail track component and the second rail track component when the elongated spring steel plate is in the second position may be less than when the elongated spring steel plate is in the first position.

Abstract: Rail fastening system (1) for fastening a rail (2) to a rail subsurface, preferably for a ballastless track, comprising a base plate (10), preferably made of a plastic, and at least one dowel (20), wherein the base plate (10) has at least one opening (15), which completely penetrates the base plate (10) in the thickness direction, and the dowel (20) is introduced into the opening (15), is held therein by means of a retaining contour and projects in the thickness direction at least on one side beyond the base plate (10).

Abstract: A vehicle coupler, a coupler tongue and a coupler body. Upper traction platforms and lower traction platforms of the coupler tongue and the hook body are arranged in an offset manner in the horizontal direction, and the section R of a traction surface of the upper traction platform and the section S of a traction surface of the lower traction platform are obtained by sectioning the coupler tongue along any vertical surface across an axis of a pin hole; and the perpendicular distance between the point on the section R closest to a nock portion and the axis of the pin hole is k, and the perpendicular distance between the point on the section S closest to the neck portion and the axis of the pin hole is m, and as such, n=|k?m|, and 10 mm?n?125 mm.

Abstract: Present embodiments relate to a railroad tie plate distribution apparatus and method therefore. The tie plate distribution apparatus which may be used in manual or automatic distribution modes in order to place tie plates on a railroad tie in a spaced apart sequence as the apparatus moves over a track being serviced. The tie plate distributor includes an actuator to feed tie plates on to a railroad track system being serviced.

Abstract: A rail track derailer is comprised of a box assembly which includes a pair of parallel, spaced guide plates supported vertically on a horizontal base mounting plate configured for attachment on the gage of a rail to the top sides of a pair of spaced rail ties. The spaced guide plates may be transversely locked to the gage side of a rail. A pivotal arm is slidably attached between the guide plates. The arm includes a derailer shoe along the top of a rail. An arrangement of guide surfaces and followers that connect the box assembly and arm effect positioning of the shoe on and off the rail. The mounting plate may be attached to ties by spikes and to concrete or steel ties by plates on the underside of such toes bolted to the box assembly mounting plate.

Abstract: A device for transporting loads suspended on raised tracks over a ground surface includes a container of materials to be transported, a structure supporting the container, and a movement mechanism for moving along the tracks, having a first motorised wheel and a second motorised wheel, independent of one another and activatable about axes of rotation coaxial with and perpendicular to the two longitudinal sides of the supporting structure. The transport device has a stabilizer with at least a first idle rolling element and at least a second idle rolling element coupled to the supporting structure so as to be arranged on opposite sides with respect to the coaxial axes of rotation of the first motorised wheel and the second motorised wheel, so as to be pivoting about axes parallel to the two longitudinal sides of the supporting structure and the tracks.

Abstract: An overhead transport system includes a suspended railway and a motorized carrier configured to travel along the suspended railway. The motorized carrier includes a motorized trolley configured to move the motorized carrier along the suspended railway, chassis/beam configured to carry an object below the motorized trolley, and a bumper and deflection system configured to prevent the object from contacting another object.

Abstract: An arrangement for driving a locomotive has various energy-provision systems. The locomotive contains a main energy-provision system as the main system and a drive system. Energy provided by the main system is supplied to the drive system as drive power and is used by the drive system for moving the locomotive. A carriage contains at least one additional energy-provision system as an auxiliary system. The auxiliary system is used in a manner which is temporally offset from the main system in order to supply drive power to the drive system. Components which can be used by both the main system and the at least one auxiliary system are implemented only once and are used jointly by both the main system and the at least one auxiliary system. Components which are used exclusively by the at least one auxiliary system are arranged on the carriage.

Abstract: A moving mechanism moves a swing suppression unit in a traveling direction between an advanced position contacting a FOUP and a retracted position away from the FOUP by a drive of a drive unit. A buffer mechanism that allows the swing suppression unit that has been moved to the advanced position by the drive of the drive unit to move to the traveling direction after stopping the drive of the drive unit.

Abstract: In order to be able to more reliably assess and react to the potential hazard when a vehicle of a cable car enters a station of the cable car, it is provided that the deflection of the vehicle before the station entrance is measured by the sensor and transmitted to the cable car control unit, that at the same time the occurrence of a wind gust before the station entrance is detected by the cable car control unit and that the cable car control unit controls a cable car drive as a function of the transmitted deflection and of the detected wind gust.

Abstract: A locomotive consist including a pair of fuel-electric locomotives, each having a prime mover engine and a power transmission system including a main generator and traction motors coupled to driving wheels, a high voltage electrical connection operable in an on state or an off state, and a computer controller. The pair of fuel-electric locomotives is configured to selectively cooperate to operate in three different operating modes as controlled by the computer controller: (1) a prime mover mode, (2) a mother/slug mode, and a mother/inoperative mode.

Abstract: An arrangement for a rail vehicle has an electric hollow-shaft motor with a hollow rotor and a wheelset shaft that runs through the hollow rotor. The rotor is separated from the wheelset shaft at least in certain sections by a radial air gap which ensures a mechanical clearance between the wheelset shaft and the rotor. A protective material is arranged in the region of the radial air gap between the rotor and the wheelset shaft. The protective material, in the event of failure of a motor fastening of the hollow-shaft motor and subsequent support of the rotor on the wheelset shaft, separates the rotor from the wheelset shaft. The protective material is softer than the material of the wheelset shaft and softer than at least one material of the rotor.

Abstract: A bogie of a rail vehicle has at least one wheelset with two oppositely situated wheels that are rigidly connected to one another, a wheelset bearing arrangement of the wheelset within the two wheels, a traction motor which directly drives the wheelset, and an aerodynamic paneling enclosure of the bogie. The traction motor is a permanently excited synchronous motor with liquid cooling.

Abstract: A locomotive consist including a pair of fuel-electric locomotives, each having a prime mover engine and a power transmission system including a main generator and traction motors coupled to driving wheels, a high voltage electrical connection operable in an on state or an off state, and a computer controller. The pair of fuel-electric locomotives is configured to selectively cooperate to operate in three different operating modes as controlled by the computer controller: (1) a prime mover mode, (2) a mother/slug mode, and a mother/inoperative mode.

Abstract: An anchor for a support member of a track system may include an anchor body and a toothed anchor portion. The anchor body may be connectable to said support member. The toothed anchor portion may include a plurality of anchor teeth configured to engage a plurality of track teeth of a toothed portion of a track assembly. The anchor body and the toothed anchor portion may be connected to one another to collectively form a hook portion configured to engage said toothed portion of said track assembly. At least a subset of anchor teeth of the plurality of anchor teeth may be disposed one after another in a curved or angled configuration to define a curved or angled row of anchor teeth.

Abstract: A rail vehicle includes a bogie, a bogie cavity in which the bogie is embedded, and a bogie cladding via which the bogie is at least partially clad, where the bogie cladding includes an opening, and where the bogie includes a flow-inhibitor arranged at the opening to reduce the inflow of air through the opening into the bogie cavity in order to reduce the inflow of air through the opening into the bogie cavity in an economical manner.

Abstract: A grade crossing control system includes a controller that receives start and end inputs corresponding to a train traversing an outer approach, determines the difference in time between the start and end inputs, and uses the difference in time to determine a delay period by which activation of a grade crossing warning system will be delayed following detection of the train by a track occupancy circuit in an inner approach in order to compensate for slow moving trains. The start and end inputs for the outer approach may be supplied in different ways including a separate track occupancy circuit for the outer approach, by train detection devices unconnected to the track at the start and end of the outer approach, or by overlapping track occupancy circuits positioned at the start of the outer and inner approaches.