RAILWAY SWITCH WITH LUBRICIOUS LINER

1 . A railway switch system comprising:

an elongate rail having a mounting flange thereon, the mounting flange having a first exterior surface;

a base plate having a second exterior surface that faces the first exterior surface, the elongate rail being supported by and laterally movable relative to the base plate;

a lubricious liner disposed between the base plate and the mounting flange and mounted in parallel engagement on top of a substrate, the substrate being one of:

(a) the first exterior surface,

(b) the second exterior surface, and

(c) a third exterior surface of an intervening plate disposed between the base plate and the mounting flange;

the lubricious liner:

(i) having an exposed bearing surface,

(ii) having a first width,

(iii) extending continuously across the first width, and

(iv) being substantially planar; and

wherein the lubricious liner consists of a non-metallic substantially graphite free material consisting of a blend of polymer resin, polymer fibers and a polymer lubricant.

2 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer resin is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, epoxy, silicate, nitrile phenolic, phenolic and polyimide resins.

3 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer fibers are thermoplastic fibers comprising at least one of an aramid, glass, polytetrafluoroethylene and polyether ether ketone.

4 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer lubricant comprises at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene and polyether ether ketone.

5 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricious liner is bonded to the substrate.

6 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricious liner is mechanically secured to the substrate by at least one of an epoxy, an adhesive, mechanical fasteners and combinations thereof.

7 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the base plate is secured to a sub-plate by at least one of welding, mechanical fasteners and combinations thereof.

8 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the exposed bearing surface is in sliding engagement with one of the first exterior surface, the second exterior surface and the third exterior surface.

9 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , further comprising a scraper secured to the mounting flange and in sliding engagement with the exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner.

10 . The railway switch system of claim 9 , wherein the scraper comprises at least one of a brush and a flexible material.

11 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , further comprising a counter-face layer removably retained on the elongate rail and in sliding engagement with the exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner.

12 . The railway switch system of claim 11 , further comprising a scraper secured to the counter-face layer and in sliding engagement with the exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner.

13 . The railway switch system of claim 12 , wherein the scraper comprises at least one of a brush and a flexible material.

14 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , further comprising a counter-face layer removably retained on the first exterior surface of the base plate and in sliding engagement with the exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner.

15 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein:

the elongate rail extends along a longitudinal axis thereof;

the mounting flange has a second width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and

the first width of the lubricious liner is at least as great as the second width of the mounting flange.

16 . The railway switch system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricious liner comprises at least one groove extending at least partially into the exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner, the at least one groove being configured to receive and discharge wear debris and contamination.

17 . A railway switch system comprising:

an elongate rail having a mounting flange thereon, the mounting flange having a first exterior surface;

a base plate having a second exterior surface that faces the first exterior surface, the elongate rail being supported by and laterally movable relative to the base plate;

a lubricious liner disposed between the base plate and the mounting flange and mounted in parallel engagement on top of a substrate, the substrate being the second exterior surface, and

the lubricious liner:

(i) having an exposed bearing surface,

(ii) having a first width,

(iii) extending continuously across the first width, and

(iv) being substantially planar;

wherein the lubricious liner consists of a non-metallic substantially graphite free material consisting of a blend of polymer resin, polymer fibers and a polymer lubricant; and

comprising a counter-face layer removably retained on the mounting flange and in sliding engagement with an exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner.

18 . A railway switch system comprising:

an elongate rail having a mounting flange thereon, the mounting flange having a first exterior surface;

a counter-face layer removably retained on the mounting flange;

a base plate having a second exterior surface that faces the first exterior surface, the elongate rail being supported by and laterally movable relative to the base plate;

a lubricious liner disposed between the base plate and the mounting flange and mounted in parallel engagement on top of a substrate, the substrate being the counter-face layer, and

the lubricious liner:

(i) having an exposed bearing surface,

(ii) having a first width,

(iii) extending continuously across the first width, and

(iv) being substantially planar;

wherein the lubricious liner consists of a non-metallic substantially graphite free material consisting of a blend of polymer resin, polymer fibers and a polymer lubricant; and

an exposed bearing surface of the lubricious liner is in sliding engagement with the second exterior surface of the base plate.