Union Pacific Railroad Company

Eric John Gehringer

Brian Lester Davis

Mark Victor Holland

Systems and methods for automatically offloading railroad ties from a railroad car are described. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a support platform including a support surface to support railroad ties in a vertical stack configuration; a support structure to hold the railroad ties stacked in the vertical stack configuration in a magazine during transit, the support structure defining a gap; a gate transitionable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the closed configuration blocks at least a portion of the gap, and wherein the open configuration permits passage of the railroad ties through the gap; and a lift structure including at least one member transitionable between a lowered configuration and a raised configuration, wherein the raised configuration positions the member above the support surface to raise an end of the railroad ties to offload the vertical stack.

Automated railroad tie unloading

A portable and temporary rail transition system for installation on a main track to guide rail equipment from parallel rails of the main track and onto parallel rails of a turnout track. The system includes rails of turnout track, turnout ties, and rail transition devices that are configured for mounting to the ties and over at least the parallel rails of the turnout track to facilitate guidance of wheels of the rail equipment away from the parallel rails of the main track and onto the parallel rails of the turnout track.

Growing community of inventors

Papillion, NE, United States of America

Eric John Gehringer