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 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 system and method for guidance control on a wheeled bogie is disclosed herein. An electromagnetic engine may be coupled to the wheeled bogie such that the electromagnetic engine may generate magnetically attractive forces between the electromagnetic engine and the rail. The generated force may be used to increase traction for braking and climbing operations. Further, the generated force may be used to counteract hunting oscillation. Still further, the generated force may be used to counteract lift generated by the wheeled bogie operating in a turn with cant.

A system and method for scanning and evaluating a portion of rail operable for travel by a wheeled bogie having a plurality of electromagnetic engines. The electromagnetic engines are generally operable to generate an electromagnetic field that is operable to penetrate a rail. A resulting eddy current may be generated that is further operable to penetrate the rail. As the electromagnetic engines travel along the rail, readings from the electromagnetic field and resulting eddy current may be used to detect differences in the rail as measured with respect to a nominal rail. The defects detected may be head checks, cracks, corrosion, etc. Further, a treated rail section may be utilized to strengthen the rail itself without compromising non-destructive evaluation. The disclosed system and method may be embodied as a computer program product.

A ballast arrangement for a rail vehicle includes at least one ballast device. The at least one ballast device has a concrete weight body, at least one built-in metal reinforcement, and at least one securing device built into the weight body. There is also described a method for producing a ballast arrangement according to the invention.

Systems and methods for reducing slack in a linkage chain of a vehicle truck assembly is provided. In one example, a method includes compressing a vehicle suspension by actuating an actuator with a cylinder abutted to a piston rod, the piston rod coupled to the vehicle suspension and, when deactivating the actuator, maintaining at least nominal compression on the vehicle suspension with the piston rod spaced away from a piston of the cylinder via a biasing member, the piston configured to slide within the cylinder along a central axis of the cylinder.

A tubular transportation system is disclosed for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargos via a capsule along a predetermined route. A method and an algorithm are described for determining optimum operating points for power/cost and helium-air ratios in a plurality of substantially evacuated tubes in a tubular transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargos via a capsule along a predetermined route.

A tubular transportation system is disclosed for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargos via a capsule along a predetermined route. The tubular transportation system has: (1) a plurality of substantially evacuated tubes arranged along the predetermined route, where each tube is maintained at a pressure that is below atmospheric pressure; and (2) means for maintaining within each tube in the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, a gaseous composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage, x, of hydrogen and a second percentage, (100-x), of air, and wherein the first percentage, x, of hydrogen is picked based on a predetermined power value and a leak rate associated with the tube.

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.

Quick-load retail merchandising product pusher systems and methods dispense retail products, wherein the systems and methods have a fixed portion having a front end, a rear end located opposite with respect to the front end of the fixed portion, a top side and a bottom side located opposite with respect to the top side of the fixed portion. Further, the systems and methods have a movable track movably connected to the top side of the fixed portion, wherein the movable track has a front end, a rear end located opposite with respect to the front end of the movable track, a top side and a bottom side located opposite with respect to the top side of the movable track. Still further, the systems and methods have a pusher paddle configured to move one or more retail product forward away from the rear side of the movable track and front retainer teeth connecting the fixed portion and the movable track, wherein the front retainer teeth are provided on the top side and at the front end of the fixed portion and extend outwardly with respect to the top side of the fixed portion. The movable track is movable to a closed position or to an extended position, wherein, when the movable track is moved to the extended position, forward movement of the pusher paddle is restricted by the front retainer teeth.