Method and apparatus for milling of railroad track

Abstract

A milling system for milling a track surface with at least one rotatable milling plate. A modular blade system for each milling plate allows individual blades to be removed and replaced when an individual blade becomes dull or broken. The blade system also allows the milling plates to be oriented in both Type 2 and Type 3 configurations depending upon track surroundings and the presence of encumbrance. The milling plates can be mounted to a positioning assembly for adjusting the relative distance between the milling plate and the track surface as well as the angle at which the milling plate engages the track surface. The milling system can include a depth guide so as to physically prevent the milling plate from cutting too deeply into the track surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railway milling plate, comprising:
 a circular plate body having a milling side and a connecting side on opposed sides of the circular plate body, the milling side including a plurality of blade slots arranged around a body perimeter of the circular plate body; and   a plurality of milling blade assembly, each milling blade assembly presenting an angled milling surface, wherein each angled milling surface is oriented in a substantially non-parallel relation to the milling side.   
     
     
         2 . The railway milling plate of  claim 1 , wherein each milling blade assembly is individually attachable to any of the blade slots. 
     
     
         3 . The railway milling plate of  claim 2 , wherein each milling blade assembly includes a threaded bore and each blade slot includes a threaded slot bore and wherein a set screw individually connects each milling blade assembly within the corresponding blade slot. 
     
     
         4 . The railway milling plate of  claim 1 , wherein each milling blade assembly comprises a milling blade and an adjustable vice member, wherein the angled milling surface is defined on the milling blade. 
     
     
         5 . The railway milling plate of  claim 4 , wherein each adjustable vice member includes a threaded vice bore, and wherein a set screw is positioned through the threaded vice bore and into a threaded slot bore in the corresponding blade slot to mount the milling blade assembly into the corresponding blade slot. 
     
     
         6 . A railway milling system, comprising:
 a rail car including at least one positioning assembly; and   at least one milling module including a motor and a milling plate;   wherein the positioning assembly selectively positions the milling plate with respect to a track surface such that the milling plate engages the track surface in either a Type II milling configuration or a Type III milling configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The railway milling system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a control system, wherein the control system monitors a brake horsepower of the motor required to rotate the milling plate such that the control system can cutoff operation of the motor if a brake horsepower threshold is exceeded.   
     
     
         8 . The railway milling system of  claim 6 , wherein the positioning assembly further comprises a horizontal positioning assembly and a vertical positioning assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The railway milling system of  claim 8 , wherein the positioning assembly further comprises a depth guide that operably engages the track surface to limit a milling depth of the milling plate. 
     
     
         10 . The railway milling system of  claim 9 , wherein the depth guide includes at least one guide wheel that is in continual contact with the track surface to prevent the vertical positioning assembly from directing the milling plate past a predetermined height from the track surface. 
     
     
         11 . The railway milling system of  claim 6 , wherein the milling plate further comprises a circular plate body having a milling side and a connecting side on opposed sides of the circular plate body, the milling side including a plurality of milling blade assemblies positioned on a perimeter edge of the milling side, wherein each milling blade assembly presents an angled milling surface for individually engaging the track surface. 
     
     
         12 . The railway milling system of  claim 11 , wherein the milling side further comprises a plurality of blade slots arranged around the perimeter edge and wherein each milling blade assembly is individually mounted in a corresponding one of the blade slots. 
     
     
         13 . The railway milling system of  claim 11 , wherein each milling blade assembly comprises a milling blade and an adjustable vice member, wherein the angled milling surface is defined on the milling blade. 
     
     
         14 . The railway milling system of  claim 6 , further comprises a plurality of positioning assemblies and a plurality of milling modules such that each positioning assembly individually positioning the corresponding milling module with respect to the track surface such that each milling plate mills a selected facet of a track profile. 
     
     
         15 . A method for milling a railway, comprising:
 traversing a railway with a rail car having a positioning assembly and a milling module;   positioning a milling plate on the milling module with the positioning assembly such that the milling plate engages a track surface in either a Type II milling configuration or a Type III milling configuration; and   rotating the milling plate with a motor to selectively mill a facet of the track surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 monitoring a brake horsepower of the motor during milling of the track surface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 shutting down the motor if the monitored brake horsepower exceeds a brake horsepower setpoint.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 positioning a depth guide on the track surface such that the positioning assembly is prevented from directing the milling module closer than a predetermined height from the track surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 individually attaching a plurality of milling blade assemblies around a perimeter edge of the milling plate.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 individually replacing each milling blade assembly on the milling plate.