One-piece rail boot with integrated flangeway former

1. A rail boot ( 40 ) for encasing preselected engagement portions ( 41 ) of a rail ( 14 ) having a rail head ( 30 ) with a top surface ( 32 ) and a rail foot ( 34 ) connected by a rail web ( 36 ), each of the rail head and the rail web having a respective field side (“F H ”, “F W ”) and an opposed gauge side (“G H ”, “G W ”), the rail being formed to support rail wheels engaged with the top surface and having respective flanges extending below the top surface on the gauge side (“G W ”) of the rail head, the rail boot comprising:

a base segment ( 42 ), for encasing the rail foot ( 34 );

field and gauge side segments ( 44 , 46 ) respectively integrated with the base segment ( 42 ), for encasing the field and gauge sides (“F W ”, “G W ”) of the rail web ( 36 ) respectively, the field side segment ( 44 ) being formed for additionally encasing a first preselected portion ( 48 ) of the field side (“F H ”) of the rail head ( 30 ) and the gauge side segment being formed for encasing a second preselected portion ( 50 ) of the gauge side (“G H ”) Of the rail head ( 30 ); and

an outer segment ( 52 ) integrated with and extending outwardly from the gauge side segment ( 46 ) and defining a bottom side ( 54 ) and an outer side ( 56 ) of a flangeway ( 58 ) in which the flanges are receivable,

wherein the rail boot has a unitary construction.

2. A rail boot according to claim 1 in which the field and gauge side segments and the outer segment are configured for resiliently resisting pressures exerted thereon.

3. A rail boot for covering preselected engagement portions of a rail having a rail head and a rail foot connected by a rail web, each of the rail head and the rail web having a respective field side and an opposed gauge side, the rail boot comprising:

a base segment ( 42 ) formed for covering the rail foot;

a field side segment ( 44 ) integrated with the base segment ( 42 ), the field side segment comprising:

a first rail interior wall ( 66 ) for covering the field side (“F W ”) of the rail web;

a first rail head element ( 68 ) for covering a first preselected portion ( 48 ) of the field side of the rail head;

a gauge side segment ( 46 ) integrated with the base segment ( 42 ), the gauge side segment comprising:

a second rail interior wall ( 70 ) for encasing the gauge side (“G W ”) of the rail web;

a second rail head element ( 72 ) for encasing a second preselected portion ( 50 ) of the gauge side of the rail head (“G H ”), the second rail head element defining an exposed portion ( 74 ) of the gauge side (“G H ”) of the rail head;

an outer segment ( 52 ) for defining a flangeway ( 58 ) in relation to the exposed portion ( 74 ), the outer segment being integrated with the gauge side segment, the outer segment comprising:

an arm element ( 76 ) extending between inner and outer ends ( 78 , 80 ) thereof, the arm element being connected at the inner end thereof to the gauge side segment ( 46 );

a wall element ( 82 ) connected to the outer end ( 80 ) of the arm element ( 76 ); and

the arm element ( 76 ) and the wall element ( 82 ) comprising respective arm and wall inner parts ( 84 , 86 ) formed to partially define the flangeway ( 58 ) in relation to the exposed portion ( 74 ) of the gauge side of the rail head (“G H ”),

wherein the rail boot has a unitary construction.

4. A rail boot according to claim 3 in which the wall element ( 82 ) comprises:

a wall exterior part ( 88 ) located opposite to the wall inner part ( 86 ), and spaced apart from the wall inner part; and

an upper side part ( 90 ), extending between the wall inner part ( 86 ) and the wall exterior part ( 88 ).

5. A rail boot according to claim 4 in which the wall element additionally comprises:

a lower side part ( 92 ), extending from the outer end ( 80 ) of the arm element ( 76 ) toward the wall exterior part ( 88 ); and

an anchor ( 94 ), projecting from the lower side part ( 92 ).

6. A rail boot according to claim 3 in which the first side segment ( 44 ) comprises:

a first interior wall ( 66 ), formed to adhere to the field side of the rail web (“F W ”) and the first preselected portion ( 48 ) of the field side of the rail head (“F H ”);

a first exterior wall ( 101 ), located outwardly from the first interior wall ( 66 ) relative to the field side rail; and

a plurality of first side ribs ( 109 ) located between the first interior and first exterior walls ( 66 , 101 ), for resiliently resisting pressure exerted against the first interior and first exterior walls ( 66 , 101 ).

7. A rail boot according to claim 3 in which the gauge side segment comprises:

a second interior wall ( 70 ), formed to adhere encase the gauge side of the rail web (“G W ”) and the second preselected portion ( 50 ) of the gauge side of the rail head (“G H ”);

a second exterior wall ( 125 ), located outwardly from the second interior wall ( 70 ) relative to the rail; and

a plurality of second side ribs ( 129 ) located between the second interior and second exterior walls ( 70 , 125 ), for resiliently resisting pressure exerted against the second interior and second exterior walls ( 70 , 125 ).

8. A rail boot according to claim 3 in which the arm element of the outer segment comprises:

an arm exterior part ( 133 ), positioned opposite to the arm inner part ( 84 ); and

a plurality of ribs ( 135 ) located between the arm exterior part ( 133 ) and the arm inner part ( 84 ), for resiliently resisting pressure exerted against one or more of the arm exterior part ( 133 ) and the arm inner part ( 84 ).

9. A rail boot according to claim 5 in which the wall element of the outer segment comprises:

a plurality of wall ribs ( 139 ) located between the wall exterior part ( 88 ), the wall inner part ( 86 ), the upper side part ( 90 ), and the lower side part ( 92 ), for resiliently resisting pressure exerted against one or more of the wall exterior part, the wall inner part, the upper side part, and the lower side part.

10. A system ( 147 ) comprising:

a rail ( 14 ) having a rail head and a rail foot connected by a rail web, each of the rail head and the rail web having a respective field side and an opposed gauge side, the rail being formed to support rail wheels engaged with a top surface of the rail head and having respective flanges extending below the top surface on the gauge side of the rail head;

a rail boot ( 40 ) for encasing preselected engagement portions ( 41 ) of the rail comprising:

a base segment, for encasing the rail foot;

field and gauge side segments respectively integrated with the base segment, for encasing the field and gauge sides of the rail web respectively, the field side segment being formed for encasing a first preselected portion of the field side of the rail head and the gauge side segment being formed for encasing a second preselected portion of the gauge side of the rail head; and

an outer segment integrated with and extending outwardly from the gauge side segment and defining a bottom side and an outer side of a flangeway in which the flanges are receivable,

wherein the rail boot has a unitary construction.

11. A method of installing a rail boot for covering preselected engagement portions of a rail having a rail head and a rail foot connected by a rail web, each of the rail head and the rail web having a respective field side and an opposed gauge side, the rail being formed to support rail wheels engaged with a top surface of the rail head and having respective flanges extending below the top surface on the gauge side of the rail head, the method comprising:

(a) providing a rail boot, the rail boot comprising:

(i) a base segment, for encasing the rail foot;

(ii) field and gauge side segments respectively integrated with the base segment, for encasing the field and gauge sides of the rail web respectively, the field side segment being formed for encasing a first preselected portion of the field side of the rail head and the gauge side segment being formed for encasing a second preselected portion of the gauge side of the rail head;

(iii) an outer segment integrated with and extending outwardly from the gauge side segment and defining a bottom side and an outer side of a flangeway in which the flanges are receivable, wherein the rail boot has a unitary construction:

(b) locating a predetermined length of the rail boot upright on a ground surface;

(c) inserting a preselected length of the rail in the rail boot, for encasing the preselected engagement portions of the rail;

(d) locating the rail, with the rail boot thereon, in a predetermined location thereof; and

(e) positioning the fill material against exterior surfaces on the field and gauge sides of the rail boot, to support the rail in the predetermined location thereof.

12. A method according to claim 11 in which:

the outer segment comprises:

an arm element extending between inner and outer ends thereof, the arm element being connected at the inner end thereof to the gauge side segment;

a wall element connected to the outer end of the arm element;

the arm element and the wall element comprising the bottom side and the outer side of the flangeway respectively; and

the method additionally comprising:

immediately following step (d), attaching at least one support clip ( 143 ) to the first side segment and to the wall element of the outer segment, for supporting the wall element to maintain the flangeway when the fill material is engaged with the gauge side segment and the outer segment.