Abstract: The invention relates to a connection element for running rails of a suspended track for receiving the running rails (2, 2?) and a securing device for securing the running rails (2, 2?) against being pulled out of the cavity (H, H?) and a running rail system having multiple running rails (2, 2?), which can be connected by connection elements (1; 11). The invention solves the problem of allowing simple and rapid tool-free mounting with a simultaneous secure connection of running rails of the running rail system in that the securing device of the connection element has at least one spring-elastic first connection claw (8; 12; 15), which projects diagonally in an insertion direction (E) of a first running rail (2) into the cavity (H) in the relaxed state, and/or by a running rail system having connection elements (1; 11) implemented in this way.

Abstract: A display system is easily attached to the safety bar of a chair on a chair lift system at the beginning of a season. The display system includes brackets formed of rails holding clamp portions that may be fastened together to clamp the display system to a chair, such as to the safety bar across the lap of a rider. At the end of a season, the display system may be removed from each chair, the clamp portions removed, and the display systems stacked. In one simplified system, adjacent displays may be stacked back to back, and such adjacent pairs may be stacked with the displays in adjacent pairs positioned face-to-face. Thus, metal brackets on the backs need not scratch up the reading faces or surfaces. Meanwhile, the displays may be stored in minimal space, with great stability, while minimizing wear and damage.

Abstract: A crash-resistant front apron for a rail vehicle is provided. The front apron includes an apron cover, a first support part supporting the apron cover, a second support part attached to a frame of the rail vehicle and a friction coupling release mechanism which connects the first support part to the second support part by a friction connection. In the event of a crash of the rail vehicle, in which a collision force acts on the front apron cover causing a torsion of the first support part relative to the second support part, the friction coupling release mechanism releases the friction connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible steel support (31) for a switch arrangement in maglev railways. The flexible support (31) contains a hollow profile (32) that extends in a longitudinal direction (x) and a hollow profile that can be bent in a transverse direction (y) and that is provided with lateral sheet metal struts (35) and a top flange (33). The support is also provided with a plurality of cantilever arms (38) that extend in the transverse direction (y), are interspaced in the longitudinal direction (x) and are connected to the sheet metal struts (35) and a plurality of metal cover sheets (42) that are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction (x) and are supported on the cantilever arms (38), the connections between the sheet metal struts (35), cantilever arms (38) and metal cover sheets (42) consisting of welded joints.

Abstract: A system for sequentially switching a plurality of guide ways to accommodate at least one vehicle with a plurality of ground engaging portions following a plurality of plural track segments is provided. The system includes a primary guide way to receive at least one of the plurality of ground engaging portions of the at least one vehicle and a secondary guide way located in proximity to the primary guide way. The secondary guide way may be configured to receive another of the plurality of ground engaging portions of the at least one vehicle. The system may also include a controller configured to sequentially switch the primary guide way and the secondary guide way whereby the at least one vehicle may travel in one direction or in another direction. A method of switching a plurality of guide ways is also presented.

Abstract: A track cover comprising slab-shaped cover elements (7) arranged between the rails (3) of the track (2) on rail level and, preferably, also slab-shaped cover elements (8) outwardly adjoining the rails (3). The cover elements (7, 8) comprise supporting bodies (9) at their rims (10) which face the rails (3), the cover elements resting on the rails (3) by means of these supporting bodies. The supporting bodies (9) which are arranged on the cover elements (7, 8) at their rims (10) that face the rails (3) are mounted on these cover elements so as to be shiftable in the rail-longitudinal direction (11). It is suitable if on each rim (10) of the cover elements (7, 8) that faces a rail (3) which is provided with the cover, at least two supporting bodies (9) are shiftably arranged. Preferably, the supporting bodies (9) are mounted to be shiftable in the rail-longitudinal direction (11) and to be pivotable about a geometric axis extending in parallel with the displacement direction.

Abstract: A rail vehicle system includes a locomotive and a plurality of load units (freight cars) attached to the locomotive for movement along a railroad track. The load units may be tanker cars, box cars, and/or flatbed cars. Each load unit includes a traction motor (connected to one or more wheels of the load unit), an electrical energy storage system onboard the load unit for providing electrical power to the load unit traction motor; and a load unit engine onboard the load unit that provides charging electric energy to the electrical energy storage system. (Alternatively or in addition, the electrical energy storage system may be charged through dynamic braking.) In a train formed of only the locomotive(s) and load units, all rail vehicles of the train, even freight cars, provide tractive effort.

Abstract: A bogie for a railway vehicle including a chassis; two front wheels and two rear wheels; and for each front wheel and each rear wheel, a guide for guiding the wheel in rotation and a primary suspension device of the chassis on the guide is provided. At least the primary suspension devices associated with the front and rear wheels arranged on the same first lateral side of the bogie each include two longitudinal connecting rods, each connected to the chassis by a first connection point and to the corresponding guide by a second connection point, and at least one resilient component inserted between the two connecting rods to define at least the vertical stiffness of the primary suspension device, the two connecting rods being offset longitudinally from one another.

Abstract: An air cushion or wheeled overhead guideway mass transit system is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rail car body having a roof, side walls, and a floor for supporting a series of vehicles in end to end relation longitudinally within the body so that they can be transported in a train. The rail car body includes an adjustable deck mounted within the body to support a second series of vehicles also in end to end relation. The adjustable deck has adjustable supports for vertically adjustment between at least two vertical positions in the body. The rail car body also includes a removable intermediate deck for supporting a third series of vehicles in end to end relation within the body. The removable intermediate deck is removably mounted on wheels (of a cart) and can be rolled longitudinally into and out of the rail car body. Thus, the rail car can be used in a two tier configuration or a three tier configuration.

Abstract: A railway vehicle including two end bogies is provided. Each end bogie includes a chassis; two front wheels and two rear wheels; for each front wheel and each rear wheel, guide for guiding the wheel in rotation and a primary suspension device of the chassis on the guide. At least the primary suspension devices associated with the front and rear wheels arranged on the same first lateral side of the bogie include two longitudinal connecting rods, each connected by a first connection point to the chassis, and by a second connection point to the corresponding guide, at least one resilient component inserted between the two connecting rods to define at least the vertical stiffness of the primary suspension device, the two connecting rods being offset longitudinally relative to one another. Each end bogie includes pivot connector suitable for connecting the end bogie to the vehicle.

Abstract: A machine for collecting tie plates strewn along a rail bed includes a frame adapted for travel along a railroad in a forward direction. A pickup drum having magnetic properties is rotatably supported by the frame and extends over a bed portion of the railroad. A top drum is mounted at a location that is higher and forward of the pickup drum and rotates parallel to the pickup drum. An endless conveyor circulates around the pickup and top drums, and a separation drum is disposed between the pickup drum and the top drum along an ascending portion of the endless conveyor. The separation drum includes a magnetized rim that can lift ferrous objects but not tie plates from the endless conveyor.

Abstract: A Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) for reducing vibration and noise radiation from rails incorporates a series of oscillation mass (8) of different sizes held in position by layers of resilient material (9) and attached to the rail via several steel mounting plates (4). Each mounting plate (4) is fixed to the rail by two magnets (5). A bolt (10) is inserted through the mounting plates (4), resilient layers (9) and oscillation masses (8) alternatively. The bolt (10) is fixed to a middle mounting plate (4) such that different compressive forces can be provided on the two sides by tightening nuts (11) to different pre-set torques. When the resonance frequency of the oscillation masses (8) is tuned to that of rail, most of the rail vibration energy at resonance frequency is transferred to the oscillation masses (8) and eventually dissipated in the resilient layers (9).

Abstract: A cauterizing system having a cauterizer tool for performing cauterization procedures, a cauterizer cord for carrying power to the cauterizer tool, a plug and a power cord for carrying power from the plug to the cauterizer cord, and a housing in which is mounted a mechanism for retracting and extending the cauterizer cord and the power cord.

Abstract: A switch machine that includes a first relay having first normally open contacts and first normally closed contacts provided in the normal motor connection path and a second relay having second normally open contacts and second normally closed contacts provided in the reverse motor connection path. The normally open and closed contacts of each relay are associated in pairs and the first relays are structured such that each normally closed contact and the corresponding normally open contact cannot be simultaneously closed. Also, a method of protecting a motor of a switch machine that includes integrating a current being drawn by the motor and opening a motor circuit that includes the motor if the integrated current exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A device has a pneumatic spring for supporting a load on a bogie of a rail vehicle and a compressed air supply which is pneumatically connected to the air spring via an air spring valve in order to vent and to fill the air spring with compressed air. A closed-loop control unit adjusts the air volume and/or the air pressure in the air spring. A compressed air line provides for the pneumatic connection between the compressed air supply, air spring, air spring valve and control unit. Unnecessary filling and venting of the air spring is prevented by way of a device for limiting the volume flow into the compressed air line in dependence on the speed of the rail vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a train in a manner that accommodates transitions from and to railway-controlled territory at designated locations, as well as operating within the proximity of those locations in a vital manner.

Abstract: The present interface system includes a controller monitoring pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, controlling pressure on a train brake pipe port in response to the pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, providing ECP commands on an ECP trainline via a train electrical terminal in response to the pressure on the locomotive brake pipe port, and providing electrical power on the ECP trainline via an train electrical trainline terminal from the locomotive electrical trainline terminal. The system includes a three position change over valve. The system also includes a wireless display unit which communicates via a transceiver with the controller and displays information from the controller to the operator remote from the interface system.

Abstract: A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The mounting interface between the ends of the axles and the sideframe pedestals allows lateral rocking motion of the sideframes in the manner of a swing motion truck. The lateral swinging motion is combined with a longitudinal self steering capability. The self steering capability may be obtained by use of a longitudinally oriented rocker that may tend to permit resistance to deflection that is proportional to the weight carried across the interface. The truck may have auxiliary centering elements mounted in the pedestal seats, and those auxiliary centering elements may be made of resilient elastomeric material. The truck may also have friction dampers that have a disinclination to stick-slip behavior. The friction dampers may be provided with brake linings, or similar features, on the face engaging the sideframe columns, on the slope face, or both.

Abstract: There is provided a differential propulsion mechanism including two or more concentric and mutually counter-rotating first wheels (4, 6, 8, 10), mutually reacting and balancing the torque of a motor drive (20) interacting with the wheels. The motor drive has a stator attached to one of the first wheels to power a first wheel over a first track (12, 14, 16, 18), a rotor coupled to a mechanical link, at least indirectly connecting the rotor with a second of the two or more first wheels to power the second wheel over a second track, and a concentric connecting device affixed for coupling a payload thereto or for coupling the mechanism itself to another device.