Method and mobile machine for removing surface irregularities from a rail head of a railroad track

A method for removing such surface irregularities as ripples, corrugations and overflow metal from a rail head during and by the forward thrust of a mobile rail contouring machine, the rail head defining a gage side, a field side and a running surface, the gage and field sides extending from the running surface to a lower edge of the rail head, and the machine having a frame running on a railroad track on flanged wheels engaging the gage and field sides in a zone adjacent the running surface for continuous movement in an operating direction, the track including two rails each having said rail head and the machine comprising a rail planing tool mounting linked to the frame, guide roller means for vertically and laterally guiding the mounting along the rail head of a respective one of the rails, the guide roller means including guide rollers laterally guiding the mounting along a selected one of the rail head sides and vertically guiding the mounting along the running surface of the rail head, a rail planing tool head mounted on the mounting for lateral and vertical displacement in relation thereto, and a single rail planing tool carrying a cutting blade mounted in the tool head, which method comprises the steps of laterally pressing the mounting against the running surface and against the side of the rail head of the respective rail opposite the side thereof from which the surface irregularities are to be removed and while being guided laterally by said guide rollers in a region extending from the lower edge to below the zone adjacent the running surface, and simultaneously continuously moving the mounting along the said respective rail with a force of a sufficient thrust to plane chips or shavings off the rail head with the cutting blade and displacing the tool head in relation to the mounting during the continuous movement for engaging the cutting blade with the rail head for planing and disengaging it therefrom at the end of a planing operation.