Vae Nortrak North America Inc.

Voestalpine Nortrak Inc.

Voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak LLC

Voestalpine Vae Gmbh

Vae Nortak North America Inc.

Gary Click

Brent Duffner

Cory O'Brien

Bradley Smith

Derek Cameron

Cory O'brien

Al Forshaw

Martin Webb

Allen James Tuningley

Jacqueline Ramirez

Brian Charles

Matt Moore

An elongated rail fastener apparatus for use near an obstacle such as a guard rail, or other location where space is restricted. The fastener preferably extends past the obstacle and is provided with a shoulder having at least one elevated notch, positioned to allow installation of the clip with a vertical and lateral movement, and without the application of a large force perpendicular to the rail. A U-shaped embodiment of the fastener is also described.

Rail fastening apparatus

Railroad tie

A boltless brace assembly for a rail includes a base block interlocked with a brace, and further includes a wedge to be inserted between an upper surface of the base block and a lower surface of the brace, thereby applying an upward force to the brace and a resultant downward force to secure the rail base. The brace assembly may be modified to provide a universal brace assembly, a resilient brace assembly, or a frog base clamp.

Boltless rail brace

A hydraulically powered switch machine having power and manual operating modes, and a dual disconnect mechanism. In power operation mode, the machine may be operated remotely, or using controls located on or near the machine. In the event of power failure, the machine may be operated manually. The dual disconnect mechanism physically disconnects the powered throw mechanism when the machine is operating in manual mode and physically disconnects the manual throw mechanism when the machine is operating in power mode, in both cases preventing unexpected movement of the manual throw mechanism.

Dual independent control hydraulic switch machine

A controller for a spring wing on a frog that utilizes a floating piston rod carrying a fixed piston valve and a free-moving piston head is provided. When the piston rod is actuated by the opening movement of the spring wing, the piston valve separates from the piston head briefly, allowing oil to flow through the piston head in a relatively unrestricted manner. The piston head is spring biased towards the piston valve; upon contact between the piston head and the piston valve, the oil flow through the piston head stops, helping to hold the spring wing in the open position. When the spring wing begins to close, the adjustable oil flow through the controller allows the piston rod to move at a controlled rate, thereby controlling the closure rate of the spring wing.

Spring wing controller

An insulated rail joint assembly comprises a rail with a thick web section, held in place by joint bars and secured with electrically isolated fasteners. The joint bars have non-uniform cross-sections, being shaped with a thicker midsection area and thinner ends. Electrically non-conductive shear pins through the rail and the joint bars provide shear resistance and prevent glue bond failure. High strength cloth between the rail ends and between the rail and the joint bars strengthens the joint, as does an insulating rail clip resiliently fastened to an insulating tie plate, which itself may be supported on a cross tie of increased width.

Insulated rail joint assembly

A modular tongue switch assembly comprises a tongue pivotally connected to a slide surface, held down by a pivot retainer. The slide surface consists of slide plate sections removably attached to corresponding bed plate sections, which are in turn welded onto a base plate. Floating brace blocks hold a non-integral stock rail in place on the base plate. When the tongue moves, a horizontal lever arm actuates an inner box assembly housed within an outer box and containing the conductor rail, allowing the passing train to maintain contact with the conductor rail, if necessary. A novel rodding and lever arrangement is used.

Tongue switch

A railroad switch assembly comprises a basket that directly actuates a torsional assist rod. The basket is located at a lower elevation than the assist rod, preferably in a hollow tie and preferably between the switch machine and the running rail.

Assist rod and basket assembly

A railway frog insert assembly comprises a casting defining the heel and toe sections of a frog. The portion of the casting intermediate the heel and toe sections consists of an integral spine extending between the heel and toe sections. The height of the spine is below the level of the flangeways in the vicinity of the point. An intermediate point section, the base of which is hollowed out, is removably seated over the spine. The top surface of the intermediate section defines the point, a small portion to the toe side of the point, a small portion to the heel side of the point, and the flangeways in the vicinity of the point.

Replaceable point frog

An improved cast insert for a railway frog has two extensions extending in substantially the same direction away from the body portion of the casting and the end of each of the extensions has a cross sectional profile corresponding to the profile of the head and web of a rail but including only one side of what would normally be the base of a rail. A frog assembly is made by providing such an insert, machining each of two rails to also remove one side of the base near the end of the rail and attaching the machined end of each of the two rails to the end of one of said extensions such that the sides of the rails from which the base has been machined away face one another.

Frog insert and assembly and method for making frog assembly

A hollow tie assembly for rodding associated with moveable trackwork (such as in a switch or a moveable point frog) serves the function of a tie, houses and protects throw rods, lock rods and detector rods, is adapted to accommodate North American switch machines, and does not interfere with mechanical tampers. The rodding is housed within two elongated and spaced channels which are held in predetermined spaced relationship. Switch plates straddle the flanges of each channel and the moveable rails or points are mounted on the switch plates. Rod adapters and switch clip provide a sliding connection to the moveable rails or points. The rods are made of insulating material and the switch plates and associated components include insulation to avoid cross conduction between the rails.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, AL, United States of America

Gary Click