Method and apparatus for the continuous replacement of an old track by a new track

Claim 1

In a method for replacement of an old track by a new track consisting of track parts including two rails and ties supporting the rails on ballast, the steps of continuously advancing cars transporting and supporting the track parts of the old and new tracks along said tracks during the replacement, said replacement comprising continuously loosening sequential portions of the rails from the ties of the old track as the cars continuously advance, lifting and spreading the rails substantially without friction after they have been loosened, continuously and sequentially removing the ties of the old track from the ballast to provide a trackless ballast section where the rails have been lifted and spread, continuously and sequentially placing the ties of the new track upon the ballast at the end of the trackless ballast section, said trackless ballast section being of constant length and continuously advancing with the advancing cars during the replacement, continuously removing sequential portions of the ballast from the trackless ballast section during said continuous advancement, cleaning the removed ballast, continuously returning cleaned portions of the ballast to the trackless ballast section, substantially uniformly distributing and leveling the cleaned ballast before the ties of the new track are placed thereon, lowering sequential portions of the rails of the new track and moving them together to assume the gage of the new track substantially without friction, and fastening the lowered rails to the ties of the new track during said continuous advancement.

Claim 7

An apparatus for replacement of an old track by a new track consisting of track parts including two rails and ties supporting the rails on ballast, comprising a train assembly continuously moving along a right of way during replacement; the right of way consisting of a section of old track, a section of new track and a trackless intermediate section wherein the old track is replaced by the new track; the train assembly consisting of a first train section of cars moving on the old track rails, a second train section of cars moving on the new track rails, an intermediate train section bridging the trackless intermediate section of the right of way, means for linking the intermediate train section respectively to the first and second train sections to interconnect the same for common movement, and said intermediate train section including means for maintaining the respective linking means at a predetermined distance in the direction of the right of way, and associated therewith means for removing ballast from the trackless intermediate section, cleaning the removed ballast, and redistributing the cleaned ballast; and means on respective ones of said cars for transporting and supporting at least the ties of the old and new tracks, for respectively receiving at least the ties of the old track and laying at least the ties of the new track, and for guiding without substantial friction the track rails bridging the intermediate trackless section of the right of way.

Claim 8

An apparatus for replacement of an old track by a new track consisting of track parts including two rails and ties supporting the rails on ballast, comprising a train assembly continuously moving along a right of way during replacement; the right of way consisting of a section of old track, a section of new track and a trackless intermediate section wherein the old track is replaced by the new track; the train assembly consisting of a first train section of cars moving on the old track rails, a second train section of cars moving on the new track rails, an intermediate train section bridging the trackless intermediate section of the right of way, means for linking the intermediate train section respectively to the first and second train sections to interconnect the same for common movement, and said intermediate train section including means for maintaining the respective linking means at a predetermined distance in the direction of the right of way, and associated therewith means for removing ballast from the trackless intermediate section, cleaning the removed ballast, and redistributing the cleaned ballast; and means on respective ones of said cars for transporting and supporting at least the ties of the old and new tracks, for respectively receiving at least the ties of the old track and laying at least the ties of the new track, and for guiding without substantial friction the track rails bridging the intermediate trackless section of the right of way.