Check out this awesome track laying machinery. Supposedly only two in existence - one in the USA and one in Europe. Currently being used here to lay track for new high speed rail system. You’ll notice that this one is replacing existing ties with new concrete ones and raising the track level.
This one has been on the Internet for some time. IIRC, it is the Plasser track system. Harco also has something similar - there is more than one of these in the US. They are really neat to watch in operation.
Jim
really cool to watch in action…
Actually there are more than two of these types of machines. The UP has been using a machine similar to this one for years to re-do track. The UP is on its 2nd or 3rd model of the machine. The current one is called a TRT909.
The first one I remember seeing in person was on Amtrak in the NEC over 25 years ago.
They don’t “lay” track, they “re-lay” track, completely upgrading track with new ties and rail. Since it rides on the rail, there has to be existing rail for it to work.
I recently posted pictures of the UP machine, along with several other types of track machines, on the Sunset Route Two-Tracking Updates thread in the Trains general discussion forum. The UP is, in fact, using it to lay new track along the Gila Sub. This not to say that it is is not used elsewhere to re-lay track.
John Timm