A railroad switch (in USA), turnout, or [set of] points (Europe) is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another, such as at a railway junction or where a spur or siding branches off. This invention describes a rail transportation system that allows vehicles to change tracks at railroad switch locations while all supporting and guiding rails remain static. Vehicles have diverters that apply lateral force to direct the vehicle to go onto the desired track, right, left, or straight ahead. This is enabled by the diverters plus rail wheels that have inside flanges and wide cylindrical surfaces. This innovation allows rail vehicles to travel through a connected rail system like a highway system that is transporting trucks, buses, and cars on paved roads. This system may operate under a computerized traffic control system and allows mass transit systems to respond to ride requests, enabling 24-hour route-adaptive mass transit. The track system can be placed into a road, like tram (or street cars) tracks. Vehicle can form into coupled trains while moving, and passengers can change routes in transit by changing coupled cars. Rail switches can be static for self-switching vehicles, but normally static components can adapt to accommodate conventional rail-switched rail vehicles.

A freight vehicle is provided including a set of road wheels configured for road traversal; a set of rail wheels configured for rail traversal, the set of rail wheels being separate from the set of road wheels; and an actuation system configured to modify a relative positioning of the set of road wheels and the set of rail wheels to facilitate operation of the freight vehicle according to a plurality of operational modes. The plurality of operational modes include a road traversal mode wherein the actuation system causes the set of road wheels to contact a road and a rail traversal mode wherein the actuation system causes the set of rail wheels to contact a rail.

The present invention is a grinder head for attaching to a track cleaner. The present invention also includes the grinder head attached to a track cleaner. Preferably, the present invention will continuously grind and load hard frozen minerals like taconite or ice. In addition, the present invention preferably aids in removal of hard-to-handle material such as wet, sticky bentonite from tracks which can be difficult in the summer months. The grinder head attachment will preferably allow operators to use a track cleaner to remove materials, preferably in one pass, during the colder months when the bentonite is frozen and much easier to handle. Preferably, the present invention will also be able to remove concrete or asphalt surfaces at road crossings.

The present invention is a grinder head for attaching to a track cleaner. The present invention also includes the grinder head attached to a track cleaner. Preferably, the present invention will continuously grind and load hard frozen minerals like taconite or ice. In addition, the present invention preferably aids in removal of hard-to-handle material such as wet, sticky bentonite from tracks which can be difficult in the summer months. The grinder head attachment will preferably allow operators to use a track cleaner to remove materials, preferably in one pass, during the colder months when the bentonite is frozen and much easier to handle. Preferably, the present invention will also be able to remove concrete or asphalt surfaces at road crossings.

A magnetic traction assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides additional downforce to improve traction for a railcar mover when required. The magnetic traction assembly may comprise a frame, an actuator, and a magnetic element positioned underneath a railcar mover. The magnetic element may be lowered to a deployed position, where the magnetic element is positioned near the railroad rails such that the magnetic field from the magnetic element interacts with the railroad rail creating an attraction force that provides additional downforce to the railcar mover.

A traction system is provided for a rail draft vehicle including an engine with a driveshaft, at least a pair of rubber-tired traction wheels, and at least one rail guide wheel pressurized relative to the vehicle by at least one fluid-powered cylinder. Included in the system are a programmable processor connected to a driveshaft speed sensor, a rail guide wheel speed sensor, an engine throttle controller, a fluid-powered cylinder controller and a vehicle control panel. The processor is constructed and arranged for automatically adjusting the engine throttle controller in coordination with the fluid-powered cylinder controller for achieving movement of the rail draft vehicle from a dead stop position by increasing applied vehicle weight upon the traction wheels by the at least one fluid-powered cylinder and adjusting engine RPM's until the vehicle begins movement as detected by the rail guide wheel speed sensor.

A hi-rail device for mounting on a vehicle, comprising a locking slot comprising a first locking end and a second locking end, and a locking pin movable in translation within the locking slot and captured therein. The locking slot which is continuous between the first locking end and the second locking end, thereby being confined between the first locking end and the second locking end. A linkage is provided, and is foldable and unfoldable to displace an axle assembly for holding wheels. A spring-extended locking cylinder extends from the linkage to the locking pin, comprising a locking spring to urge the locking pin into the respective abutting surface of any one of the first locking end and the second locking end when the locking pin is in any one of them, thereby using only spring force in extension to lock the linkage into either locking position.

There is described a hi-rail device for mounting on a vehicle, comprising a linkage between an axle assembly for holding wheels and a mounting assembly. The linkage, pivotally connected to an upper pivot connection thereof, is foldable and unfoldable to translate the axle assembly relative to the upper pivot connection. An active suspension between the linkage and the mounting assembly is provided and comprises a suspension body to swivel about the mounting assembly, actuated by a spring proximally urging on the suspension body to provide the swivel. The suspension body comprising the upper connection to the linkage, which can move along with the suspension body to provide active suspension. Also, a locking pin, extending through the linkage, can be locked in a slot using a hydraulic cylinder, distinct from a hydraulic cylinder for deployment, and which comprises a spring for default locking not involving hydraulic power.

A management system according to the present disclosure is a management system that manages a travel plan of a vehicle that is capable of traveling on a road and a railway track, and includes controller that creates the travel plan of the vehicle. In a case where there is a route candidate track that is a railway track that is possibly used as a travel route of the vehicle, the controller acquires a railway operation schedule for the route candidate track, and determines whether the route candidate track can be used as the travel route of the vehicle, based on the operation schedule. In the case where the route candidate track can be used as the travel route of the vehicle, the controller creates a travel plan according to which the vehicle travels along the travel route including the route candidate track.

Described is a multi-mode transportation system with roads and monorails, and vehicles that can transform to travel on either roads, or monorails, or on both simultaneously. Vehicles move in mode 1 on the roads using road wheels that roll over pavement. Vehicles in mode 2 move on the monorails and are supported by rail wheels in contact with a top of a monorail. In mode 2, the vehicle is supported by side cylinders that stabilize the vehicle on the monorail. Vehicles move in mode 3 with support from both roads and monorails simultaneously. Monorail mount locations simplify the vehicle's transition between modes. Pivoting or other mechanisms for road wheels, rail wheels, or side cylinders facilitate vehicle design. The vehicle can optionally be connected to the Internet, and be part of a traffic control system or operate autonomously. Small scale models or computer models of these vehicle can be used as toys, for product development, prototyping, animation, competitive games, entertainment, or for education.