Railinklock System™ is a secondary
safety device for Joint and Frog bars that is:
Straightforward, fast and easy to install
Effective at maintaining torque & retaining Joint and Frog bar nuts
Warrantied against manufacturer's defects for 5 years
Economical to outfit a railway system
Durable with an estimated lifespan of 10 years
Products designed for standard rail and electrified rail
Welcome –Thank you for your interest in Railinklock System™
Designed, Engineered & Manufactured in North America
Railinklock System™ is based on a proven technology, creating a new level of safety for railway joint and frog bars
- Tested and Proven
- Proprietary design, engineered to withstand extreme conditions
- Provides a clear visual check in all conditions
- 5-year limited manufacturer’s warranty
- Fast and easy to install/remove
- Economical, expected to last 10 years, reusable and recyclable
- Reduces the risk of track & railway car damage and accidents
Railinklock System™ is a Patent Pending Product and a Registered Trademark of LDM Associates Limited and Tafcan Consulting Ltd.
Application: Railinklock System™ is a secondary safety device that is installed on the nuts securing the bolts that hold joint bars and frog bars in place. The unit locks two joint bar or frog bar nuts together, creating resistance between the two nuts minimizing their ability to move/rotate.
Railway track sections are connected either by “Joint Bar Systems” or they may be welded together. The “Joint Bar System” requires a series of bolts to hold the joint bars in place at a railway track joint and are designed to keep both vertical and horizontal movement to a minimum while maintaining clamping pressure at the joint. Frog bars are used at track junctions where the train can be diverted to another section of track. These joints must withstand substantial forces as the train is diverted to the alternate track. Misalignment of the rails can lead to both rail and train damage and the potential for an accident. Each time a train passes over a joint that has been connected by a joint or frog bar system, significant vibration, vertical and some horizontal movement of the track is generated by the on-and-off weight of the train cars. Loose joint or frog bars allow significant movement of the railway tracks when railcars pass over, resulting in various levels of damage to the rails themselves or potentially causing the tracks to separate and trigger a train accident. “Joint and Frog Bar Systems” require a continuous schedule of preventative maintenance to ensure the railway tracks function as designed. Frog bars experience additional stresses and pressure when compared to joint bars because the train is being forced sideways on the track to a new track; making preventative maintenance even more crucial.
Railinklock System™ can make a difference!
After the joint bars or frog bars have been installed and the nuts tightened to the recommended torque per required specifications, Railinklock SystemTM can be easily fitted over two adjoining nuts to secure them. When the nuts are secured with Railinklock SystemTM they will not loosen and will ensure that the joint bars maintain their clamping pressure.
Product Development
With the acceptance of Zafety Lug Lock® as a proven secondary safety device in Commercial Trucking and Public and Private Transit sectors, the need for a similar secondary safety device to secure the nuts on the joint bars (fish plates) and frog bars for railway tracks was identified and the Railinklock System™ was developed. Positive feedback from track maintenance and railway personnel led to the development of several sizes of Railinklock Systems based on the most common sizes of joint and frog bars and associated nuts.
Working in conjunction with our existing plastic design engineers through their product and manufacturing expertise the prototypes were proficiently designed and the plastic mix was developed. The design engineered plastic is similar to products developed for the automotive industry to resist many types of chemicals (see Chart 1.) and environmental conditions with additional UV resistance and additives to deter ingestion by small animals and rodents. A Manufacturer’s five (5)-year warranty covers any manufacturing defects however, because of the specialized plastic composition it is expected to have a lifespan of 10+ years. The long life of the Railinklock System™ unit makes it idea to be located in remote track areas to assist in maintaining the clamping pressure of the joint bar systems. Railinklock System™ units are now available for testing. Rigorous third-party tests and field tests have been completed with excellent results. Nuts remained tight with no movement throughout the 6 month + field test.
Railinklock System™ is manufactured in an ISO 9001:2008 facility in North America.
Chart 1
- Road Salt
- Hydraulic fluid
- Locktite
- Radiator fluid
- Liquid calcium chloride
- Transmission fluid
- Diesel fuel
- Ethanol alcohol
- Windshield washer
- alcohols
- Gasoline
- Iron oxides
Why use Railinklock System™
- Fast & simple to install, no tools, (simply push Railinklock System™ on over two adjacent nuts after the nuts are properly installed and torqued as specified)
- Maintains clamping pressure on a consistent basis – no loss of clamping pressure between scheduled maintenance checks.
- Easy to remove for maintenance and track repair
- Simplifies the process of inspecting – torque checks can be completed without removing the Railinklock System™ units.
- Economical to outfit a railway system – multiple sizes including both Joint and Frog bar nuts
- 5-Year Warranty, expected 10+-year lifespan (an installation plus for difficult or remote sites)
- Successful field testing in a controlled environment by Transportation Technology Center Inc., Pueblo, Colorado, a nationally recognized facility and on a live track by a large North American railway
- Proven- companion product Zafety Lug Lock® used for Commercial Trucks and Public & Private Transit Buses has been through extensive laboratory and field testing. Millions of units in use in these sectors for eight years under similar environmental forces and conditions (potentially more rigorous because of the centrifugal forces on the wheels).
- Reusable
Railinklock System™ simplifies the process of inspecting – torque checks can be completed without removing the units.