Abstract: An easer rail is mated with the uncut web of a fixed running rail to form a more rigid thermal expansion joint between the fixed rail and a moveable rail. The easer rail has an extension that protrudes into the uncut web the fixed rail. The easer rail extension is machined to be complementary in shape to the uncut web and fits tightly against the flange, the underside of the head, and the base of the uncut web of the fixed rail. Bolt holes are provided through the extension and the easer rail, its extension, and the fixed rail to form multiple bolt joints. The bolted extension not only lengthens the easer rail but locks it in place between the head and base of the fixed rail to provide additional rigidity.

Abstract: A swing motion rail road freight car truck is provided that has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The side frames have spring seats for the groups of springs. The springs seats may be rigidly mounted in the side frames. Friction dampers are provided in inboard and outboard pairs. The biasing force on the dampers urges then to that act between the bolster ands and sideframes to resist parallelogram deflection of the truck. The bearing adapters and sideframe pedestal seats interact on a rolling linear contact interface that has a relatively small radius of curvature.

Abstract: A rail road car truck has side frames mounted to rock on the wheelsets. A bolster is mounted cross-wise on the sideframes, each end of the bolster being seated on a spring group, each spring group being seated in one of the sideframe windows. The bolster has damper groups mounted at each end to work between the end of the bolster and the columns of the sideframe windows. The truck has a dynamic response to lateral perturbations that includes a first component due to the swinging of the sideframes on the sideframe pedestal rockers, and a second component that is due to lateral shear in the main spring groups. The pendulum action may tend to be softer than the lateral shear in the springs, and so therefore may tend to dominate the lateral response. This swing-dominant lateral response may be combined with a multiple damper arrangement.

Abstract: An autorack rail road car is provided with a truck that includes a pair of sideframes supported on wheel sets with bearing adapters positioned therebetween. The bearing adapters and the sideframes have associated parts or surfaces with curvatures configured to permit lateral swinging of the sideframes. A bolster is supported by the sideframes, and sets of laterally arranged dampers are provided therebetween to control the relationship between the sideframes and the bolster.

Abstract: A bogie with three wheel sets for a rail vehicle is described, in which the bogie has two end wheel sets (3) which are connected to a bogie frame (2) at their drive units by in each case at least one slanted link (1), and a center wheel set (12) is connected to the bogie frame by at least one longitudinal link (4) guided parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bogie frame (2). The end wheel sets (3), by in each case at least one transverse link (5a, b) and by a drive-unit extension arm (13) arranged in operative connection with the transverse link (5a, b), are connected to the drive unit of the center wheel set (12) in such a way that, during a transverse movement of the center wheel set (12), the end wheel sets (3) are coupled with the latter and that, during a turn-out movement of the end wheel sets (3), the latter are coupled in opposite directions.

Abstract: A monorail system for passenger and light freight transportation provides a support structure with an essentially planar top surface and a stabilizer guide rail having a vertical web portion supporting a head portion. The head guides a vehicle along the top surface while conductors secured to the web portion transmit electrical current to the vehicle through a current collector secured to the vehicle. A portion of the stabilizer guide rail may be flexible providing a simple, inexpensive device for switching the vehicle between a plurality of tracks. The system operates equally well with a variety of vehicle propulsion and suspension systems including electro-mechanical, magnetic levitation or linear electric motors.