An improved switch point machine is provided which can seal out water, even if the machine itself becomes submerged. The operating rod and the point indicating rod that extend out of the switch box housing should be ground round and have a smooth surface for an improved seal. Those rods are preferably chrome plated. Dynamic hydraulic seals can be used to seal out moisture. Internal components, within the switch box housing, should also be sealed to be water resistant in the event water does enter the housing.

A switching machine comprises a frame, a point detector bar, an indication contact assembly, at least one detector bar follower able to act on the indication contact assembly depending on the position of the point detector bar relatively to the frame, an inhibiting element jointly movable with the detector bar follower, and a cam bar translatable relatively to the frame between an unlock position and a lock position. The cam bar comprises a tongue portion which is able to be in contact with a stop of the inhibiting element when the cam bar is in its unlock position and to be away from the stop when the cam bar is in its lock position. The inhibiting element comprises a main body relatively to which the stop is vertically translatable between an active position and a passive position.

A remotely activated rail switch system is disclosed herein that is configured to permit the remote control of a railroad switch. The rail switch system may include at least a connecting clamp configured to removably attach to any standard size rail switch throw arm, a motor, an interconnect member between the connecting clamp and the motor, and a transceiver. In various embodiments, the remotely activated rail switch system may be installed without making any modifications to the existing rail infrastructure. For example, the rail switch system may be installed without any welding, digging, and/or other civil construction. Rather, the remotely activated rail switch system may be installed by simply (or only) clamping a frame or body of remotely activated rail switch system to wooden ties adjacent a rail switch and attaching the connecting clamp of the remotely activated rail switch to the throw handle of the switch.

A rail-switching unit, functioning singly or combined with other same units as part of a track-switching unit of a track-switching system of a vehicle-guiding system is provided. The rail-switching unit includes a rotatable ensemble including a rotatable-hub with attached switch-rails and auxiliary components and stationary elements including a main fixed-rail, branch fixed-rails and a supporting structure, wherein the branch fixed-rails are attached to common rails and the rotatable-hub selectively rotates to allow an engagement of each switch-rail simultaneously with the main fixed-rail and with a corresponding branch fixed-rail with a purpose of creating alternative continuous rail paths for vehicles to move through the rail-switching unit. A mechanism is applicable to mono/multi-railed tracks, to supporting/suspended vehicles, to traditional/rail-wrapping wheels-assemblies, to diverge/merge/cross-points, and to a wide variety of track-switching configurations.