Abstract: On a railway track comprising a ballast bed (10), sleepers (12) provided on the ballast bed and tracks (14) mounted on the sleepers, the sleepers are disposed closely adjoining one another but out of mutual contact, leaving a gap, the sleepers defining drainage channels (134) extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the track for lateral water drainage. The gaps between the sleepers may be covered by covering elements (142) or the sleepers may overlap without touching one another. In this manner the track bed is substantially kept free of water, the positional stability of the track is increased, therefore reducing or rendering superfluous the normally required maintenance work such as tamping as well as cleaning and weed control.

Abstract: A hollow tie assembly for rodding associated with moveable trackwork (such as in a switch or a moveable point frog) serves the function of a tie, houses and protects throw rods, lock rods and detector rods, is adapted to accommodate North American switch machines, and does not interfere with mechanical tampers. The rodding is housed within two elongated and spaced channels which are held in predetermined spaced relationship. Switch plates straddle the flanges of each channel and the moveable rails or points are mounted on the switch plates. Rod adapters and switch clip provide a sliding connection to the moveable rails or points. The rods are made of insulating material and the switch plates and associated components include insulation to avoid cross conduction between the rails.

Abstract: A rail tie has a pair of rail supporting portions disposed on opposite sides of a central portion. The central portion is elevated relative to the central portion and supports a reaction rail of a linear induction motor used to propel a vehicle along the guideway. The reaction rail is secured to flanges extending laterally from the central portion to reduce the unsupported span of the reaction rail between ties. The tie is supported on the deck of the guideway by resilient pads. An eccentric insert cooperates with a securing stud to allow alignment of the tie.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rail sleeper which when secured to rails affords rapid disengagement when necessary and is comprised of a metal bar of a U-shaped channel section. At two locations along the length of the bar portions of flanges of the sleeper are removed to provide slots disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar. Each slot is wider than the base of the rail fitting thereinto with the space between slots dependent upon the gage between parallel rails and with the depth of such slots being varied to suit rail height. One rail flange is secured in place by an overhanging portion of the sleeper flanges. The other rail flange is secured by a generally T-shaped steel plate which is bolted to the bottom of the U-shaped channel section such that the horizontal bar of the T-shaped plate rests across the upright flanges of the sleeper. One edge of the horizontal bar engages the web of the rail and the other edge engages the edge of the slot, thus wedging the rail into secure engagement.

Abstract: A sleeper for receiving and securing a pair of railway rails has openings for receiving the rails for screw-less mounting. Either one or both flanges of the rail foot is secured in the opening by cooperation with a lug of the sleeper. The lug or lugs may be bendable in order to be open for mounting and closed by bending upon mounting for securing the rail. A supporting plate may be provided on the bottom of the opening and may have a resilient layer applied thereon.

Abstract: A railroad crosstie is constructed from at least two individually distinct rail support blocks interconnected by a web system which is fastened to the blocks and which comprises at least one self-supporting rigid sheet member adapted to be buried in the roadway ballast when the tie is in place. The blocks are selected to support and secure rails in conventional manner, and the interconnecting web system holds the blocks in relative position in the roadbed. The rigid sheet member adapted to be buried in the roadway ballast is advantageously disposed or provided with means such as horizontal longitudinal corrugations to interact mechanically with the particles of standard railroad ballast, whereby the tie resists being withdrawn from the roadbed.

Abstract: An improved railroad tie constructed of a metal sheath with angled walls braced longitudinally, vertically, and laterally and reinforced by a filling of concrete, the sheath structure being especially adapted for spring-type rail securing devices bridging the side walls of the shell. Hand-hold recesses are provided at the ends to facilitate manual handling of the ties.