This invention discloses a track caliper that can measure vertical and horizontal wearing of different track types. It includes a caliper bar and a big slider that can move along the caliper bar. A small slider, with a right-angle bayonet on its right, can move along the caliper bar jaw to set the desired measuring position. A positioning plate, articulated with a rotary arm, installs on the big slider jaw and has a structure to limit the rotary arm in the vertical direction. A crossing-groove block is slide-mounted on the rotary arm, a horizontal bar is slide-mounted on the crossing-groove block and can move perpendicular with the rotary arm. When the front measuring surface on the horizontal bar aligns with the measuring surface of the probe on the big slider jaw, the marking on the horizontal bar aligns with the “0” line on the crossing-groove block.

A continuous serpentine concrete beamway forming system and method for creating a hollow continuous serpentine concrete beamway are disclosed. The continuous serpentine concrete beamway forming system and method utilizes a flexible form material that has the ability to conform to curves, angles, and slopes of a target beamway system as intended. The flexible form material is used to form an armature that embodies a precise pathway of the target beamway system. The armature is contiguous throughout a plurality of connected beamway segments that collectively make up the target beamway system and that are precisely aligned to conform to the curves, angles, and slopes of the target beamway system. A part of the armature creates grooves on the surfaces of the connected beamway segments. The grooves are subsequently used to guide machinery that grinds the running surfaces to precise tolerances. Precise alignment is achieved as a result of the grooves being formed in a continuous fashion, thereby allowing the grinding machines to cross from one beamway segment to the next.

The invention relates to a method of controlling a track maintenance machine, particularly a switch tamping- or universal tamping machine, which moves along a track and has working units, particularly a tamping unit and a lifting unit, which are adjustable relative to a machine frame, wherein position data of track objects, particularly sleepers, rails and optionally obstacles, are recorded by means of a sensor device in front of the working units in a working direction, and wherein operating positions of the working units are determined for a working operation at a track location. In this, prior to actuation of the working units, the determined operating positions of the working units are displayed by means of a display device, wherein, prior to carrying out the working operation, the operating positions of the working units can be changed by means of control elements. As a result of the display of the determined operating positions prior to the working operation, an operator is enabled to recognize possible misalignments before these become effective.

A method for measuring and displaying the track geometry of a track system uses a track-driveable permanent-way machine, comprising a control measurement system measuring the track position to be corrected before a lifting and lining device, an acceptance measurement system measuring the corrected track position after it, and output units displaying the measured values. The lifting and lining device is controlled depending on the measured values of the control measurement system and the acceptance measurement system to achieve a specified target track geometry. A three-dimensional position image is calculated from the curvature image (k.sub.(s)), longitudinal level image (h.sub.(s)) and superelevation image (u.sub.(s)) of the target track geometry, put into a perspective display, and displayed by the output unit, supplemented by measured error curves for track parameters of track direction, superelevation, twist, and longitudinal level.

A method for stabilizing a track having sleepers supported on a track ballast and rails secured to the sleepers, includes using a stabilizing unit which is connected to a machine frame that can be moved on the rails and has a vibration exciter and rollers that can roll on the rails. The vibration exciter generates in particular horizontal vibrations which run transversely to the track longitudinal direction. The course of a force exerted onto the track by the stabilizing unit is recorded over a vibration path during a vibration cycle by sensors. At least one parameter is derived from the course by an evaluation device and is used to evaluate the stabilizing procedure and/or the quality of the track ballast. A device for implementing the method is also provided.

The invention concerns a track maintenance machine for tamping a track having sleepers supported in a ballast bed with rails fitted to the same, with a machine frame that is mobile on on-track undercarriages and with a tamping unit which comprises tamping tools to be lowered into the ballast bed and set to vibrate and to be squeezed towards one another, wherein a camera for transmitting real-time images to an output means is arranged upstream of the tamping unit in a working direction. A first camera system is arranged upstream of the tamping unit in working direction here for recording a first surface area of the track as a first image section. In addition, a second camera system is arranged downstream of the tamping unit in working direction for recording a second surface area of the track as a second image section, wherein the recorded image sections partly overlap and wherein the output means is equipped for issuing the image sections in a merged image.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for tray heads and wear plates for tray heads for a railroad spike dispenser. An example wear plate set includes a first wear plate configured to couple to a first sloped surface of a first wall of a tray head. The first wear plate defines a first sloped wear edge along which a head of a railroad spike is to slide when the first wear plate is coupled to the first wall and a shank of the railroad spike travels through a channel. A second wear plate is configured to removably couple to a second sloped surface of a second wall of the tray head. The second wear plate defines a second sloped wear edge along which the head is to slide when the second wear plate is coupled to the second wall and the shank of the railroad spike travels through the channel.

A track maintenance machine, with a sensor for identifying an A-point of a chord, having a frame, axles, and wheels operatively connected to the axles and configured to support the machine on a track. A workhead is arranged between the axles. A B-point is placed at the workhead at a predetermined height above the track, and a C-point placed at a rear end of the at a predetermined height above the track. A sensor is arranged at a forward end of the frame at a predetermined height above the track. The sensor scans forward of the machine to identify an A-point; acquire track data for the A-point; and transmit the data to a machine control system. The machine control system is configured to calculate a chord by combining the track data for the A-point with the C-point to calculate operation data for the workhead at the B-point.

The invention relates to a method for contactless recording of a track geometry of a track by means of a rail vehicle which is moved along the track on on-track undercarriages (4), wherein profile data of the track extending in transverse direction are compiled by means of a laser scanner. In this, it is provided that, by means of an evaluation device, profile data are evaluated relative to a reference base pre-defined on the rail vehicle in order to derive from this the course of a track central axis and/or a rail. The invention additionally relates to a rail vehicle which comprise an evaluation device configured for carrying out the method. Thus, no further measuring system is required to determine a track position.

In a method of operating a tamping unit of a track maintenance machine, the track maintenance machine having the tamping unit is first provided on a track bed. The tamping unit is displaced relative to the track bed. A driving force, acting on the tamping unit and required for the displacement, and acceleration acting on the tamping unit are determined. A ballast force acting between the tamping unit and the track bed is determined by way of the driving force and the acceleration, and is evaluated.