Railroad Tie Preservation System In-Place Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating installed railroad ties are inefficient and costly, as they require replacement rather than in-place maintenance, leading to significant downtime and reduced useful life.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a conveyance vehicle with drill carriages, air dispensers, preservative dispensers, and plug dispensers to drill holes, remove debris, apply preservatives, and seal the treated areas within the railroad ties while in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If railroad ties are replaced when they show signs of wear, then the reliability of the track is maintained, but the loss of time and operational downtime increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preservative treatment to railroad ties at the first signs of wear rather than waiting for complete failure. This preliminary maintenance action extends the service life of ties significantly, allowing them to remain in service much longer and reducing the frequency of replacements and associated downtime.
2Reliability
If individual railroad ties are replaced, then the useful life of the track is maintained, but the cost of maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the chemical parameters of the railroad tie by injecting preservative materials into drilled holes, fundamentally altering the degradation rate of the wood. This parameter change extends the useful life of the ties twofold or more, reducing the frequency of replacement and overall maintenance costs.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If treatment is applied within ten years of installation, then the useful life of railroad ties is maximized, but existing ties beyond this period cannot be treated
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables preliminary treatment of ties at the first signs of wear regardless of their age. By drilling holes and injecting preservatives into existing ties, the system can extend the life of even older ties, making the treatment adaptable to ties of any age rather than being limited to new installations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Extends the useful life of railroad ties by allowing in-place treatment, reducing downtime and maintenance costs, and ensuring effective protection against wood rot and insects.
Implementation Method 1
an air dispenser configured to deliver a blast of air proximate the one or more holes sufficient to remove debris from and around the one or more holes
Implementation Method 2
a preservative dispenser configured to deliver a predetermined amount of preservative material into the one or more holes
Data Source
AI summary
A system of treating installed railroad ties, comprising a conveyance vehicle configured to move along a railroad track, one or more drill carriages slidably attached to the conveyance vehicle to drill one or more holes at predetermined locations in the railroad ties, an air dispenser configured to deliver a blast of air proximate the one or more holes sufficient to remove debris from and around the one or more holes, a preservative dispenser configured to deliver a predetermined amount of preservative material into the one or more holes, and a plug dispenser configured to deliver a plugging material to the one or more holes to seal the preservative material in the one or more holes.