Apparatus and method for repairing worn rail shoulders

Abstract

In a railroad system a track is formed of ties positioned at predetermined intervals along the right of way, and supporting a pair of rails. Shoulders are disposed in pairs adjacent to the sides of each rail and are partially imbedded in the ties to limit the lateral movement of the rails and define the track gauge. Between each pair of shoulders there is provided a pad disposed under the respective rail. Insulators are provided between the sides of the pad and a respective shoulder. Over time, friction between the insulators and the shoulders may cause excessive wear. This wear is compensated by one or more shims attached to the shoulders by a strong adhesive.

1 . In a railroad track system comprising a plurality of ties and rail supports including shoulders imbedded in the ties and having fronts and support elements disposed adjacent to and touching said front, wherein trains running over the rail causes the support elements to rub against, and wear away said rail surface, said method comprising:
 providing a shim; and   attaching said shim to said face with an adhesive.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising removing a section of the rail from the supports prior to the step of attaching said shim. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising heating said shim after said shim is attached. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said shim is attached using an epoxy. 
   
   
       5 . The method if  claim 1  wherein said shim is made of sheet metal. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said shim is made of steel. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said face has a predetermined contour and said shim is formed in a shape complementary to said contour, 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said rail is moved laterally without cutting its ends to repair said shoulder. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a portion of said rail is cut before said shim is installed. 
   
   
       10 . A method of rebuilding a portion of railroad track, said railroad track including at least one rail, a plurality of ties disposed in sequence along the railroad track, each tie including a pair of shoulders provided to restrict the lateral movement of the rail along the tie, the system including a pad disposed on each tie under the track and an insulator disposed adjacent to a surface of one of said pairs of shoulders, wherein trains moving along the track cause the insulator to rub against a face of the shoulder thereby wearing a portion of said shoulder away, the method comprising the steps of:
 removing clips from a rail portion;   cutting the portion of the rail at its two ends;   removing the portion of the rail with cut ends;   removing the pad and the insulators disposed under the removed rail portion;   identifying a shoulder that has a worn face;   installing a shim on the worn face using an adhesive, said shim being positioned and arranged after it is installed to compensate for the worn portion of the face;   installing a pad with insulators between shoulders, including the shoulder with the shim; and   installing a rail portion over the pads.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the removed pad and insulator are reinstalled. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein new pad and insulator are installed after the shim is attached to the shoulder face. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising applying and adhesive between said insulator and one of said shim and said shoulder face. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said shim is made of sheet metal and bent to a shape matching the shape of the shoulder face. 
   
   
       15 . In a railroad system, a track disposed along a right of way, said track comprising:
 a plurality of ties;   a pair of rails;   a plurality of rail supports supporting said rails on said tracks;   wherein each rail support including a first and a second shoulder having a shoulder face with a face profile, a pad disposed between said shoulders under one of said rails and a first and second insulators disposed adjacent to said pad, and a shim disposed between one of said insulators and the corresponding shoulder face, said shim having a shape selected to match said face profile and being attached to the respective shoulder face by an adhesive.   
   
   
       16 . The track of  claim 15  wherein said face profile includes a central face portion and two lateral rounded sides having a curvature and wherein said shim has a central shim portion and two lateral wings with a curvature selected to match the curvature of the rounded sides. 
   
   
       17 . The track of  claim 16  wherein said rounded sides have vertical axes of curvature. 
   
   
       18 . The track of  claim 16  wherein each said shoulder includes a flat platform terminating at said central face portion and wherein said shim has a tab dependent on said central shim portion and sized and shaped to extend over said platform as said shim is attached to the shoulder. 
   
   
       19 . The track of  claim 16  wherein said shim is sized and shaped to compensate for the wear of the front profile caused by previous direct contact between said shoulder face and the respective insulator.