Rail tie pad

Abstract

A rail tie pad for use with a cast rail tie. The rail tie pad may be flexible, polymeric body having first and second opposite sides and, when viewed in cross-section, includes an upper surface and a lower surface defining a first vertical thickness and including a plurality of undulations with alternating concave portions and convex portions. The rail tie pad further includes a pair of side anchor portions respectively disposed at the first and second opposite sides of the pad, each including at least one anchor projection for embedment within the side portions of a cast rail tie. In this manner, the anchor portions of the rail tie pad are embedded within, and fixably secure, the sides of the rail tie pad to the cast rail tie to mitigate or prevent separation of the rail tie pad from the rail tie during transport and/or positioning of the rail tie during installation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rail tie pad for use with a cast rail tie, comprising:
 a flexible, polymeric body having first and second opposite sides and including, when viewed in cross-section:
 an upper surface and a lower surface defining a first vertical thickness therebetween, and each including a plurality of undulations with alternating concave portions and convex portions; and 
 a pair of side anchor portions respectively disposed at the first and second opposite sides of the pad, the side anchor portions each having a second vertical thickness greater than the first vertical thickness, each side anchor portion extending upwardly from the upper surface and including at least one anchor projection for embedment within a cast rail tie. 
   
     
     
         2 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , wherein the concave portions of the undulations of the upper surface are vertically aligned with the convex portions of the undulations of the lower surface, and the convex portions of the undulations of the upper surface are vertically aligned with the concave portions of the undulations of the lower surface. 
     
     
         3 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , wherein the side anchor portions each extend substantially entirely along the first and second opposite sides of the pad. 
     
     
         4 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one central anchor portion disposed between the pair of side anchor portions, each central anchor portion having a third vertical thickness greater than the first vertical thickness and extending upwardly from the upper surface, each central anchor portion further including at least one anchor projection for embedment within a cast rail tie. 
     
     
         5 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , wherein the side anchor portions each have a substantially triangular profile when viewed in cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , wherein the side anchor portions include vertical outermost walls which, when the rail tie pad is cast within a cast rail tie, are disposed substantially vertically flush with side walls of the cast rail tie. 
     
     
         7 . The rail tie pad of  claim 6 , wherein, when viewed in cross-section, the vertical outermost walls of the side anchor portions are each joined to the lower surface of the rail tie pad via a rounded corner. 
     
     
         8 . The rail tie pad of  claim 7 , wherein the anchor projections of the side anchor portions each extend at an angle with respect to the top surface of the rail tie pad. 
     
     
         9 . The rail tie pad of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric body is made of an elastomer having a hardness between 50 Shore A and 80 Shore A. 
     
     
         10 . A cast rail tie, comprising:
 a cast tie body including a top side, a bottom side, and a plurality of side walls; and   a rail tie pad joined to the bottom side of the cast body, the rail tie pad including a flexible, polymeric body having first and second opposite sides and, when viewed in cross-section, an upper surface and a lower surface defining a first vertical thickness therebetween, the rail tie pad further including a pair of side anchor portions respectively disposed at the first and second opposite sides of the pad, each side anchor portion including at least one anchor projection adapted for embedment within a cast rail tie.   
     
     
         11 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the side anchor portions extend substantially entirely along the first and second opposite sides of the rail tie pad. 
     
     
         12 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the side anchor portions of the rail tie pad each extend upwardly from the upper surface and have a second vertical thickness greater than the first vertical thickness. 
     
     
         13 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the side anchor portions of the rail tie pad include vertical outermost walls which are disposed substantially vertically flush with respective side walls of the cast tie body. 
     
     
         14 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the side anchor portions of the rail tie pad, when viewed in cross section, extend vertically upwardly beyond the bottom side of the cast tie body. 
     
     
         15 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein, when viewed in cross-section, the vertical outermost walls of the side anchor portions of the rail tie pad are each joined to the lower surface of the rail tie pad via a rounded corner. 
     
     
         16 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the anchor projections of the side anchor portions extend at an angle with respect to the top surface of the rail tie pad. 
     
     
         17 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the rail tie pad each include a plurality of undulations with alternating concave portions and convex portions. 
     
     
         18 . The cast rail tie of  claim 17 , wherein the concave portions of the undulations of the upper surface are vertically aligned with the convex portions of the undulations of the lower surface of the rail tie pad, and the convex portions of the undulations of the upper surface are vertically aligned with the concave portions of the undulations of the lower surface of the rail tie pad. 
     
     
         19 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one central anchor portion disposed between the pair of side anchor portions, each central anchor portion having a third vertical thickness greater than the first vertical thickness and extending upwardly from the upper surface, each central anchor portion further including at least one anchor projection embedded within the cast tie body. 
     
     
         20 . The cast rail tie of  claim 10 , wherein a material of the cast tie body entirely fills each of the concave portions of the undulations of the upper surface of the rail tie pad.