A longitudinal beam of a track maintenance vehicle is connected at a beam exterior side—facing away from the opposite longitudinal beam—to a rail transport device provided for receiving rails. The rail transport device is displaceable by means of a displacement drive in the transverse direction of the machine relative to a machine frame within a displacement path s delimited by a transport—and a loading position.

A longitudinal beam of a track maintenance vehicle is connected at a beam exterior sidefacing away from the opposite longitudinal beamto a rail transport device provided for receiving rails. The rail transport device is displaceable by means of a displacement drive in the transverse direction of the machine relative to a machine frame within a displacement path s delimited by a transportand a loading position.

A railcar consist of flatcars for transporting continuous rail sections configured for top loading and end unloading of the rail sections. The consist includes a tie-down flatcar and plural support flatcars. The tie-down flatcar includes a rail securement rack with plural removable rail clamping shelves that facilitate top loading and clamping of the rail sections in place. Each of the plural support flatcars have a roller rack fixed to it. The roller racks include plural roller shelves with rollers to support the rail sections. The roller shelves are pivotally mounted to the roller racks between a loading position that provides clearance for placement of the rail sections from above the consist, and a transport position that supports the rail sections.

A railcar consist of flatcars for transporting continuous rail sections configured for top loading and end unloading of the rail sections. The consist includes a tie-down flatcar and plural support flatcars. The tie-down flatcar includes a rail securement rack with plural removable rail clamping shelves that facilitate top loading and clamping of the rail sections in place. Each of the plural support flatcars have a roller rack fixed to it. The roller racks include plural roller shelves with rollers to support the rail sections. The roller shelves are pivotally mounted to the roller racks between a loading position that provides clearance for placement of the rail sections from above the consist, and a transport position that supports the rail sections.

An articulated rail-transport car for transporting long sections of ribbon rail is described. The car includes a plurality of segments arranged end-to-end and coupled and supported at their adjacent ends by shared trucks. Dedicated trucks are provided near each terminal end of the car and couplers configured to couple to an adjacent rail car are provided at the respective terminal ends. Rail stands are disposed along the length of the car with a spacing that is independent of the locations of the shared and dedicated trucks and that provides a greater number of rail stands than trucks. The segments may be configured to enable interchangeability and to allow any number of the segments to be included in the car. A plurality of the cars can be coupled to enable transport of ribbon rails of any length.

A device for the transport of long-welded rails by way of a rail loading train, including an installation for the secured storage of the rails. The device is configured as a modular unit it has fastening devices for anchoring on a container flat car and includes a separate energy supply unit.

A device for the transport of long-welded rails by way of a rail loading train, including an installation for the secured storage of the rails. The device is configured as a modular unit it has fastening devices for anchoring on a container flat car and includes a separate energy supply unit.

A railroad renewal method includes, in particular: the removal of the old rail, the installation of the new rail and the primary adjustment of the temperature of the new rail to a set value at a point located upstream of and close to the attachment area on a crosstie. The thermodynamic behavior of the intermediate section of the new rail located between the primary temperature adjustment point and the attachment area is controlled by way of a device, provided with a control and management system, such that the temperature of the new rail is uniform, in the cross-section thereof, at a set value on the attachment point.

A railroad renewal method includes, in particular: the removal of the old rail, the installation of the new rail and the primary adjustment of the temperature of the new rail to a set value at a point located upstream of and close to the attachment area on a crosstie. The thermodynamic behavior of the intermediate section of the new rail located between the primary temperature adjustment point and the attachment area is controlled by way of a device, provided with a control and management system, such that the temperature of the new rail is uniform, in the cross-section thereof, at a set value on the attachment point.

A work train lays a rail of a railway track. The work train has a heating device with a heating zone, gas burners, and a radiant body interposed between the gas burners and the heating zone. The radiant body has openings that open into the heating zone. The work train is moved in a laying direction, so that at each moment a portion of the rail to be fixed passes through the heating zone. Heat is supplied to the rail to be fixed through the heating zone by feeding the gas burner so that no flame emerges from the openings in the heating zone and that at least 75% of the heat supplied to the rail is transmitted by radiation from the radiant body. Then the rail is fixed after the heat has been applied to a tie of the railway track behind the heating zone in the laying direction.