Abstract: A collapsible railing having an upper rail and a plurality of posts hingedly attached to the upper rail at spaced apart locations. A crank including a shaft portion and an arm portion which is mounted for rotation about the long axis of the shaft portion is connected to each post. An actuator actuates the motion of the crank to pivot the posts and the upper rails between a collapsed position in which each post is oriented generally horizontally, and an erect position in which the posts are in an upright position.

Abstract: An elevated passenger car having an emergency exit feature. The passenger car is of the type supported such that there are substantially no obstructions between the underside of the car and the ground below it. The car includes a body having a passenger compartment and an opening through the body generally at one end thereof defining an exit from the passenger compartment to outside the body. An end section is pivotally mounted on the body at the one end. Fluid pressure actuated cylinders swing the end section between a closed position in which the end section closes the exit and an open position in which said exit is opened to the outside. An elevator supported by the end section in its open position lowers passengers from the elevated passenger car.

Abstract: A connection for connecting a pair of rail members end to end, each rail member having a base, web, and a railhead. The connection comprises a tongue projecting endwise from the railhead of one rail member into a slot in the railhead of the other rail member, with the top of the tongue generally flush with the top of the railheads and the bottom of the tongue slidable on the other rail member for transmitting loads applied to the top of the railheads. The connection further comprises a longitudinally extending end projection on the other rail member slidable in a recess in the one rail member. The end projection is engageable with the one rail member for limiting the extent of the relative longitudinal movement and for transmitting tension force along the rail members. The connection transmits longitudinal, lateral and downward vertical loads on the rail members while allowing thermal expansion of the rail members, and presents a continuous load bearing surface along the top of the railheads.

Abstract: A switch for a railway system having a common track, and upper and lower branch tracks, each track comprising a pair of rails with one rail disposed above the other. The switch comprises a fixed support between the common and branch tracks, upper and lower fixed switching rails on the fixed support associated with the upper and lower branch tracks, respectively, a pair of movable switching rails movable between a raised position in which the pair extends between the common track and the upper fixed switching rails and a lowered position in which the pair extends between the common track and the lower fixed switching rails, and a plurality of movable supports for the movable switching rails mounted on the fixed support at spaced intervals. Each movable support is guided for movement transversely with respect to the direction of length of the movable switching rails and generally in the plane of these rails.

Abstract: In an elevated railway system having a track comprising upper and lower rails extending longitudinally along one side of a beam structure, and passenger cars traveling on the track having doors on their sides adjacent the beam structure, a passenger station comprising an elevator shaft structure, including an elevator car, which extends up from ground level through a gap in the beam structure. A track section with upper and lower rails in continuity with the rails on the beam structure extends alongside the elevator shaft structure at the bottom and top of the door of a car stopped at the station, permitting passenger egress from and ingress to the passenger car and the elevator car between the rails at the station.