System, method, and apparatus for railroad turnout and derail lift frog

Abstract

A railroad turnout lift frog has a combination tread and flange bearing design that uses two separate castings to form the lift frog and securely bolt it to the main rail. The lift frog allows for a continuous, unbroken mainline track and also has built-in guarding for a safer move.

1 . A system for crossing a train on a side track over a main track, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of railroad ties;    a main rail having a continuous beam mounted to the ties;    a side rail mounted to the ties and crossing the main rail, the side rail being divided into a toe segment and a heel segment that are located on opposite sides of the main rail; and    a frog having a toe and a heel mounted to the main rail, the toe being aligned with and secured to the toe segment and the heel being aligned with and secured to the heel segment.    
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , a tie plate is mounted to each tie adjacent the frog, and the toe and heel maintain contact with the tie plates mounted to each of the ties over which the toe and heel pass, respectively.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the main track has another rail, and further comprising a frog guard mounted adjacent said another rail for retaining a train in a proper lateral position with respect to the frog, the frog guard comprising a guard bar brace and a guard bar mounted to the guard bar brace.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1 , both toe and heel have non-uniform cross-sections in a direction aligned with a line of the side rail.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein a wheel of a train traveling on the side rail makes contact with the main rail as the wheel crosses from the toe to the heel.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein only a flange of the wheel of the train makes contact with the main rail as the train crosses from the toe to the heel.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the wheel of the train simultaneously contacts both the toe and the main rail during at least a portion of the crossing of the main rail.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the wheel of the train simultaneously contacts both the heel and the main rail during at least a portion of the crossing of the main rail.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the wheel of the train simultaneously contacts all three of the toe, the main rail, and the heel during at least a portion of the crossing of the main rail.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the toe and the heel has a flangeway for accommodating flanges on train wheels.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the toe has an inclined surface and a guard, and the guard and portions of the inclined surface are elevated above a top of the continuous rail.  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein a flangeway of the toe extends continuously between the inclined surface and the continuous beam, and the flangeway has approximately a same vertical depth throughout a length thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the guard has a greater length than the inclined surface, such that the inclined surface terminates in length before the guard terminates.  
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel has a flangeway that declines to gradually lower the wheel onto a surface of the heel and the heel segment.  
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein only a guard of the heel is elevated above a top of the continuous beam, and a contact surface of the heel is a same vertical height as the continuous beam and the heel segment.  
   
   
       16 . A frog for crossing a train on a side track over a continuous beam of a main track, the frog comprising: 
 a toe having an inclined surface, a flangeway located adjacent the inclined surface for accommodating a flange on a train wheel, and a guard located adjacent the inclined surface opposite the flangeway for retaining the train wheel on the inclined surface, the toe being adapted to align with and mount to the side track and receive the train wheel from the side track to lift the train wheel over the continuous beam;    a heel having a declined surface, a flangeway located adjacent the declined surface for accommodating the flange on the train wheel, and a guard located adjacent the flangeway for retaining the train wheel on the declined surface, the toe being adapted to align with and mount to the side track and receive the train wheel from the toe and transition the train wheel to the side track; and    both the toe and the heel have non-uniform cross-sections in a direction aligned with a line of the side track.    
   
   
       17 . A frog according to  claim 16 , further comprising a frog guard mounted adjacent another rail of the side track, the frog guard comprising a guard bar brace and a guard bar mounted to the guard bar brace.  
   
   
       18 . A frog according to  claim 16 , wherein the toe has an inclined surface, and the toe guard and portions of the inclined surface are elevated above a top of the continuous beam.  
   
   
       19 . A frog according to  claim 18 , wherein the toe flangeway extends continuously between the inclined surface and the continuous beam, and the flangeway has approximately a same vertical depth throughout a length thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A frog according to  claim 18 , wherein the toe guard has a greater length than the inclined surface, such that the inclined surface terminates in length before the toe guard terminates.  
   
   
       21 . A frog according to  claim 16 , wherein only the heel guard is elevated above a top of the continuous beam, and a contact surface of the heel is a same vertical height as the continuous beam.  
   
   
       22 .- 27 . (canceled)