Abstract: A railroad maintenance device distributes, regulates and reclaims ballast along a railway road bed. The device includes one or more hopper cars for transporting and depositing ballast, a regulating car including a track regulator, a shoulder regulator, and an extensible plow arm for reclaiming ballast deposited at a distance from the shoulder of the road bed. The hopper cars include radio controlled gates for the remote control of ballast depositing operations, and a computer controlled system for optimizing the distribution of ballast according to predetermined parameters. A bucket elevator is located rearwardly of the track regulator for lifting excess ballast from the road bed, and a belt conveyor transports the lifted ballast to a hopper car.

Abstract: A railroad mounted grinding machine for maintaining the railhead profile of railroad track rails. A plurality of grinding modules are mounted on an undercarriage. The undercarriage is shiftably carried, by a track engaging platform, for side to side positioning of the grinding module across the longitudinal axis of a rail. Each grinding module is independently tiltable relative to the undercarriage.

Abstract: A grinding head assembly especially designed for heavy duty grinding applications, such as maintenance of railroad track rails, is disclosed. The grinding head assembly hereof broadly includes an abrasive grinding stone, a backing plate for the stone having a plurality of attachment bosses, and a backing plate holder having a plurality of complementary boss-receiving cavities. The grinding head assembly disclosed herein provides for fast and easy replacement of grinding stones, and is designed to transmit large quantities of power.

Abstract: The angle through which the grinding modules of a railroad track rail grinding machine can be tilted is increased by pivotally mounting the grinding modules on a carriage which is in turn pivotally mounted relative to the rail grinding machine's supporting, main framework. The carriage hereof provides for lateral shifting of the grinding module grinding stones relative to the track rail, as well as tilting of the grinding modules through a ninety degree arc about the rail to be ground. The flexibility of the carriage greatly enhances the rail shaping capability of each grinding module.

Abstract: A grinding head assembly for use in maintaining railroad tracks. The invention is typically used in longitudinally spaced series to grind the surface of the rails to remove corrugations, to restore a smooth regular travel surface. The grinding head assembly is characterized by an annular backing plate and grinding wheel designed for ease of mounting and maximum use of the grinding wheel.