Abstract: A rail alignment device and a shear head are suspended from a trolley running over a rail welding machine. The alignment device comprises structure forming a downwardly-opening bight and carrying locating stops, clamping cylinders and transducers with sensing plungers all of which project into the bight. The rail ends to be butt-welded are received within the bight for alignment. One of the rails is clamped against the stops by the cylinders. The location of the other rail relative to the structure is sensed by the transducers and the machine clamps are adjusted until those transducers indicate alignment of the rails. The device is then removed and stored remote from the gap, with the shear head, during welding. The shear head comprises a horseshoe-shaped back plate which carries three cutting tools. An arm, which is pivotally mounted on one of the ends of the back plate and adapted to be latched to the other end to close the bight of the back plate, carries a fourth cutting tool.