Methods for repair and preventive maintenance of railroad ties using UV curable polymers

1. A method for repair and preventive maintenance of railroad ties, comprising the steps of:

providing a railroad tie having a rail seat;

providing a UV curable polymer system;

applying the UV curable polymer system to the rail seat;

installing a tie pad capable of transmitting ultraviolet light over the UV curable polymer system applied to the rail seat; and

curing the UV curable polymer system by irradiation with ultraviolet light through the tie pad.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UV curable polymer system is applied to the rail seat after the tie pad is installed.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the UV curable polymer system is applied by injection through the installed tie pad.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installed tie pad forms a mold cavity with the rail seat for shaping the UV curable polymer system applied to the rail seat.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the railroad tie has a first cant and the UV curable polymer system is shaped having a second cant different from the first cant.

6. A method for changing the shape of the rail seat of a railroad tie, comprising the steps of:

providing a railroad tie having a rail seat with a first shape;

installing a tie pad on the rail seat to form a mold cavity between the tie pad and rail seat, the tie pad capable of transmitting ultraviolet light;

applying a UV curable polymer system on the rail seat, within the mold cavity; and

curing the UV curable polymer system by irradiation with ultraviolet light through the tie pad to form a surface having a second shape different from the first shape.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the railroad tie has a first cant and the UV curable polymer system is cured to form a surface having a second shape with a second cant different from the first cant.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the UV curable polymer system is applied by injection through the tie pad.