Composite railway tie

Abstract

A railway tie, and method for producing said railway tie, includes an outer shell having an inner surface defining a shell void in the outer shell. A void material fills the shell void. An insert is located in the shell void and spans from a first side of the outer shell to a second side of the outer shell and reinforces the outer shell against force applied to one or both of the first side and the second side. The insert may include an insert-shell component, and a conduit component located in the insert-shell component, the conduit component sized and shaped to receive a railway fastener.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railway tie, comprising:
 an outer shell having an inner surface defining a shell void in the outer shell;   a void material filling the shell void;   an insert, located in the shell void, that spans from a first side of the outer shell to a second side of the outer shell and reinforces the outer shell against force applied to one or both of the first side and the second side, the insert including:
 an insert-shell component, and 
 a conduit component located in the insert-shell component, the conduit component sized and shaped to receive a railway fastener. 
   
     
     
         2 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the insert-shell component being a pultruded beam cutaway. 
     
     
         3 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the insert-shell component including an insert void, the insert void being filled with an insert material. 
     
     
         4 . The railway tie of  claim 3 , the insert material being foam. 
     
     
         5 . The railway tie of  claim 3 , the conduit component defining a pre-formed insert hole sized and shaped to receive the railway fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The railway tie of  claim 5 , the outer shell defining a first outer shell hole on the first side; wherein when the insert is mounted in the shell void, the pre-formed insert hole and the first outer shell hole are aligned. 
     
     
         7 . The railway tie of  claim 5 , further comprising the railway fastener located in the pre-formed insert hole and the first outer shell hole. 
     
     
         8 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the conduit component comprising a plurality of conduit components, each positioned according to a respective location of a baseplate aperture of a plurality of baseplate apertures defined by a baseplate that is used to secure a rail to the railway tie. 
     
     
         9 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the conduit component being a different material than the insert-shell component. 
     
     
         10 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the conduit component being a steel material. 
     
     
         11 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the fastener insert comprising a plurality of fastener inserts spaced such that a first of the plurality of inserts align with a first rail of a railway and a second of the plurality of inserts aligns with a second railway of the railway when the railway tie is installed under the first and second rails. 
     
     
         12 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the insert comprising a plurality of inserts spaced such that each conduit component of one of the insert is positioned according to a respective location of baseplate aperture of a plurality of baseplate apertures defined by a baseplate that is used to secure a rail to the railway tie. 
     
     
         13 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the outer shell comprising fiberglass. 
     
     
         14 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , further comprising an endcap at each end of the railway tie. 
     
     
         15 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the insert and outer shell characterized to provide a spike pull-out force threshold greater than 1900 pounds, measured according to AMERICAN RAILWAY ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY ASSOCIATION (AREMA) standard. 
     
     
         16 . The railway tie of  claim 1 , the outer shell being coated with a UV resistant coating. 
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing a railway tie, comprising:
 forming an outer shell having an inner surface defining a shell void in the outer shell;   inserting a fastener insert that spans from a first side of the outer shell to a second side of the outer shell and reinforces the outer shell against force applied to one or both of the first side and the second side; and,   after inserting the insert, filling the void with an insert material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising securing an endcap on each end of the outer shell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming a first outer shell hole; and wherein the inserting the insert includes aligning an insert hole defined by the insert with the first outer shell hole. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the inserting the insert includes a first insert and a second insert, the first insert spaced from the second insert according to a standard rail spacing distance of a railway.