Patent ID: 8181578

Claim:
A method of replacing existing direct fixation fasteners attached to rails of a railroad, wherein each existing direct fixation fastener is supported by a substrate and anchored to the substrate by nuts on existing anchor studs and attached to the rails by clips, the method comprising the steps of: removing the existing direct fixation fasteners from rails by removing the nuts from the existing anchor studs and removing the clips from the rails; installing temporary direct fixation fasteners on the substrate by securing the temporary direct fixation fasteners to the existing anchor studs by use of nuts, and clipping the rails to the temporary direct fixation fasteners by installation of clips which extend from the temporary direct fixation fasteners to the rails supported by the temporary direct fixation fasteners; forming holes in the substrate for permanent anchor inserts by inserting a drill through permanent anchor insert openings in the temporary direct fixation fasteners; installing permanent anchor inserts in the substrate by inserting the permanent anchor inserts through the permanent anchor insert openings in the temporary direct fixation fasteners; removing the temporary direct fixation fasteners from the substrate by removing the nuts from the existing anchor studs, and removing the temporary direct fixation fasteners from the rails; eliminating the existing anchor studs from above the surface of the substrate; placing permanent direct fixation fasteners on the substrate and over the permanent anchor inserts, and fastening the permanent direct fixation fasteners to the permanent anchor inserts by engaging and tightening permanent bolts with the permanent anchor inserts, and attaching the rails to the permanent direct fixation fasteners by installation of clips which extend from the permanent direct fixation fasteners to the rails.