An improved process for repair of worn and damaged surfaces of railway structures such as frog and diamond transition surfaces, rail head surfaces and wheels. A worn or damaged surface is prepared using a robotically-controlled laser to melt or gouge away metal using controlled laser energy and air pressure to remove existing worn or damaged surfaces. The process further utilizes laser cladding, laser weld overlaying, or laser additive manufacturing, of formulated powder, wire or stick welding material to worn surfaces that have been prepared for material build-up to original dimensions and similar metallurgical properties.

A rail tool-holder cart (1) comprises a T-shaped support frame (2), a tool-holder arm, (12) rotatable about a vertical axis and tiltable between an upper position and a lower position and having a coupling interface for a tool (17, 17), a spring (19), which pushes the tool-holder arm permanently towards the upper position, so as to compensate at least one part of the weight of the tool (17, 17), as well as adjustment means (20) for adjusting the spring thrust (19).

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.

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.

A translatable, ultra-high pressure liquid jet system includes a translatable frame configured to maintain mechanical contact with a rail. The liquid jet system includes a liquid jet processing head affixed to the frame and configured to maintain a distance from the rail and provide a liquid jet that contacts the rail. The liquid jet system also includes an ultra-high pressure liquid pump in fluid communication with the liquid jet processing head. The ultra-high pressure liquid pump is configured to supply pressurized liquid to the liquid jet processing head.

A rail tool-holder cart (1) comprises a T-shaped support frame (2), a tool-holder arm, (12) rotatable about a vertical axis and tiltable between an upper position and a lower position and having a coupling interface for a tool (17, 17), a spring (19), which pushes the tool-holder arm permanently towards the upper position, so as to compensate at least one part of the weight of the tool (17, 17), as well as adjustment means (20) for adjusting the spring thrust (19).

A rail lifting head (10) comprises a head gate member (20) defining a gate aperture (22), a rail support member (24) removably secured to the gate member (20) and adapted to support a rail vertically within the gate aperture (22), and a head cartridge (100) which is removably secured to the head gate member (20). The head cartridge (100) includes two opposed vertical rollers (128) which support a rail laterally within the gate aperture and a fixing (112) which secures the head cartridge (100) to the head gate member (20). The rail support member (24) is removable from the head gate member (20).

A rail lifting head (10) comprises a head gate member (20) defining a gate aperture (22), a rail support member (24) removably secured to the gate member (20) and adapted to support a rail vertically within the gate aperture (22), and a head cartridge (100) which is removably secured to the head gate member (20). The head cartridge (100) includes two opposed vertical rollers (128) which support a rail laterally within the gate aperture and a fixing (112) which secures the head cartridge (100) to the head gate member (20). The rail support member (24) is removable from the head gate member (20).

An onsite steel rail laser processing engineering vehicle, including a laser processing power engineering vehicle and a laser processing cart, the laser processing power engineering vehicle is connected to the laser processing cart; the onsite steel rail laser processing engineering vehicle further comprises a transport mechanism disposed on the laser processing power engineering vehicle; through movement and rotation, the transport mechanism transports the laser processing cart into the laser processing power engineering vehicle or transports the laser processing cart out from the laser processing power engineering vehicle and places it on rails.

An onsite steel rail laser processing engineering vehicle, including a laser processing power engineering vehicle and a laser processing cart, the laser processing power engineering vehicle is connected to the laser processing cart; the onsite steel rail laser processing engineering vehicle further comprises a transport mechanism disposed on the laser processing power engineering vehicle; through movement and rotation, the transport mechanism transports the laser processing cart into the laser processing power engineering vehicle or transports the laser processing cart out from the laser processing power engineering vehicle and places it on rails.