Method, apparatus and system for lifting railroad structures

Abstract

A jacking tie and method of using a jacking tie to level and/or lift a railroad track. The jacking tie is configured with an elongate body that is configured to span beneath two parallel rails of a railroad track. The jacking tie has two jacks, preferably hydraulic cylinder jacks that are positioned so as to lift each of the parallel rails of the railroads. The jacking tie body has two sections. A track support shell is supported by the hydraulic cylinder jacks. The track support shell is configured for nesting or mating engagement with the lower body shell in a compressed or resting position. The hydraulic jack cylinders are configured to lift the track support shell away from the lower body shell, thus lifting the rail positioned above the hydraulic jack cylinder. The track support shell and lower body shell are pivotally connected such that the ends of the track support shell can be independently raised.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jacking tie for raising and lowering adjacent rails of a railroad, the jacking tie comprising:
 an elongate body configured to span beneath the adjacent rails, the elongate body having an upper section and a lower section,   a first jack configured to lift a first end of the upper section relative to the lower section, and   a second jack configured to lift an opposite, second end of the elongate body relative to the lower section,   wherein the upper section and the lower section are pivotably coupled together such that operation of the first jack and the second jack together causes said vertical adjustment of the upper section relative to the lower section, and such that independent operation of the first jack and the second jack relative to each other causes said pivoting of the upper section relative to the lower section.   
     
     
         2 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper section and lower section are pivotably coupled together between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         3 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot pin that pivotably couples the upper section and the lower section together. 
     
     
         4 . The jacking tie according to  claim 3 , wherein the pivot pin is located between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         5 . The jacking tie according to  claim 4 , wherein the pivot pin resides in a slot in one of the upper section and the lower section that facilitates said vertical adjustment of the upper section relative to the lower section and said pivoting of the upper section relative to the lower section. 
     
     
         6 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jack and the second jack are accessible via end cavities in the elongate body. 
     
     
         7 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate body comprises internal structural baffles. 
     
     
         8 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jack and the second jack are disposed in the elongate body. 
     
     
         9 . The jacking tie according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jack and the second jack comprise hydraulic jack cylinders. 
     
     
         10 . The jacking tie according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first jack and the second jack are configured for fluid connection with a remote hydraulic pump. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating the jacking tie according to  claim 1 , comprising independently operating the first jack and the second jack relative to each other to cause said pivoting of the upper section relative to the lower section. 
     
     
         12 . A method of lifting a section of a railroad track having a series of railroad ties supporting a pair of rails on a bed of ballast, the method comprising:
 providing the jacking tie according to  claim 1  beneath the pair of rails between a pair of ties in the series of railroad ties,   operating the jacking tie to raise and level the pair of rails and create gaps between the pair of ties and the bed of ballast,   placing ballast into the gaps.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , comprising operating the jacking tie to raise and level the pair of rails by causing both said vertical adjustment of the upper section relative to the lower section and said pivoting of the upper section relative to the lower section. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the jacking tie is provided by removing an existing railroad tie from the series of railroad ties to leave a space beneath the series of railroad ties and then inserting the jacking tie into the space. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the jacking tie is coupled to the pair of rails, and further comprising raising the jacking tie after the ballast is placed into the gaps and then adding additional ballast beneath the jacking tie. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising leveling the pair of rails relative to each other by said pivoting of the upper section relative to the lower section.