Method and system for controlling railroad surfacing

Abstract

A system and method for controlling railroad surfacing is provided. A computerized controller compares desired railroad rail position values with actual railroad rail position values such that a tamper machine raises, lowers, and horizontally moves the rails to correct the alignment of the rails and ties. The system may be used in conjunction with existing shadowboard tamper systems, with the computerized controller receiving precision reference signals corresponding to desired rail position values, and moving projectors according to the difference of the railroad rail position value and desired railroad position value.

1 . A method for controlling railroad surfacing, comprising the steps of: 
 inputting desired railroad rail position values into a controller;    determining railroad rail position correction values by comparing the desired railroad rail position values with actual railroad rail position values; and    moving the actual railroad rail position to the determined correction value position using a railroad tamper machine operably associated with the controller.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inputting step includes the step of inputting a table of desired railroad rail position values for a predetermined length of railroad track into the controller.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , including the step of determining the position of the tamper machine with respect to the length of the railroad track.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , including the step of obtaining a reference signal from a transmitting device associated with a known marker in relation to the position of the tamper machine on the railroad track and corresponding to a desired railroad position value.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of obtaining a reference signal from a transmitting device associated with a known marker in relation to the position of the tamper machine on the railroad track and corresponding to a desired railroad position value.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , including the step of providing a reference signal receiver in communication with the controller.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , including the step of using the controller to move a shadowboard system projector a distance corresponding to the railroad rail correction value.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the shadowboard system projector is disposed uptrack of a shadowboard and sensor of the tamper machine.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reference signal receiver and shadowboard system projector are mounted on a buggy coupled to a front of the tamper machine.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , including the step of providing a tamper machine operator interface unit, including a display for displaying values corresponding to the desired railroad rail position and actual railroad rail position.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , including the step of permitting the tamper machine operator to manually make railroad rail position corrections using the interface unit.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reference signal is transmitted by at least one laser device positioned uptrack of the tamper machine and disposed relative to a known survey marker, the at least one laser device transmitting a surface laser reference signal and a line reference signal to provide desired vertical and horizontal railroad rail position values.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reference signal is transmitted by a GPS transmitter positioned relative to a known survey marker relative to the railroad rail and tamper machine.  
   
   
       14 . A railroad surfacing system, comprising: 
 a railroad tamper machine adapted to move railroad rails, the tamper machine including at least one shadowboard and sensor;    a movable infrared signal projector disposed uptrack of the shadowboard and sensor;    a reference signal receiver associated with the projector;    a reference signal transmitter disposed a distance from the tamper machine and associated with a marker corresponding to desired railroad rail position values, the transmitter adapted to transmit a reference signal to the reference signal receiver; and    an electronic controller in electronic communication with the reference signal receiver and adapted to selectively move the projector;    wherein the controller moves the projector a correction distance corresponding to compared desired railroad rail position values determined by the reference signal and actual railroad rail position values; and    wherein the tamper machine moves the railroad rail to the desired railroad rail position value.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the reference signal transmitter is disposed over a known survey marker.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the projector and reference signal receiver are coupled to a front of the tamper machine.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the movable projector comprises a horizontally movable line projector and a vertically movable surface projector.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the reference signal transmitter comprises a laser transmitter device positioned uptrack of the tamper machine.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the laser transmitter device transmits a surface laser reference signal and a line laser reference signal to provide desired vertical and horizontal railroad rail position values.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the laser transmitter device comprises a surface laser reference signal transmitting device and a line laser reference signal transmitting device.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the reference signal receiver comprises a laser receiver generally aligned with the line laser reference signal transmitting device and associated with a line projector, and a laser receiver generally aligned with the surface laser reference signal transmitting device and associated with a surface projector.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the reference signal transmitter comprises a GPS transreceiver.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the GPS transreceiver is disposed over a known survey marker, and adapted to receive GPS signals from satellites and transmit a reference signal to the reference signal receiver.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the reference signal receiver comprises a GPS antenna receiver associated with a line projector, and a GPS antenna receiver associated with a surface projector.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 14 , including a tamper machine operator interface unit disposed within a tamper machine cab.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the interface unit includes a display for displaying values corresponding to the desired railroad rail position and actual railroad rail position.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the interface unit is adapted to permit the tamper machine operator to manually make railroad rail position corrections.