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Machine versatility remains a priority for rail customers considering material handling equipment, RCE Equipment Solutions officials said in an email. The company recently introduced a series of John Deere model Railavators that feature a patented hydraulic-powered, retractable hi-rail for use on and off track. large capacity agv
The New Series 210P, 245P and 250P Railavators incorporate RCE’s new Ultra Life Axles. The drives are made of high-strength alloy steel that offer two times more structural strength than existing cast-iron final drives, company officials said. Ultra Life Axles offer a three-year, unlimited hours warranty.
Railavators also can be equipped with more than 20 attachments and customizable carts to move material.
Recently, RCE unveiled a new Series 5 P Swing Loader at Railway Interchange 2023, which was held Oct. 1-4 in Indianapolis. It features a John Deere 544 P-Tier model machine designed to provide enhanced performance, efficiency and comfort; and spacious operator stations that include customizable ergonomic electrohydraulic controls and streamlined electrical and hydraulic routing.
The standard loader boom and housing has been replaced with a 200-degree turntable that enables the operator to accomplish swing crane functions, while the main boom assembly retains its structural integrity to enable the Series 5 to accomplish wheel loader functions with 14,500 pounds of lift capacity.
Equipped with high-traction axles, the Series 5 P Swing Loader provides enough drawbar pull to handle the positioning of continuous rail, company officials said.
Diversified Metal Fabricators offers the DMF RW-2300HS, a front-mounted, hydrostatic creep drive system designed to operate independently of the vehicle transmission. With a 33,000-pound gross axle weight rating, the front hydrostatic system can be mounted forward of the front tandems and, in special applications, behind the cab.
Full wireless control operates the Neotec motorized front axle without needing to integrate into the vehicle, company officials said. The system operates at up to 7 mph in creep mode and disengages for up to 25 mph in freewheel mode using vehicle propulsion. The unit also is rated for 88,000 pounds at a 2% incline and up to 200,000 pounds on level track.
Additionally, the system allows users to operate vehicle equipment without having to disengage the Power Take-Off to advance the truck down the track. Also, because the RW-2300HS operates independent of the transmission, the vehicle can be moved off track if necessary.
Plasser American’s MFS material handling units are open-sided wagons in a standard railway vehicle design with a floor conveyor belt in the hopper, as well as a transfer conveyor belt at the front end of the unit.
The floor conveyor belt enables continuous filling of the hopper or passing of the material, while the transfer conveyor belt discharges loose material into the next hopper or to the side at a suitable location. The belt can be slewed 45 degrees to the left or right, and tilt warning and tilt protection prevents the vehicle from tipping while it discharges.
A protected workspace with control and monitoring instruments for the conveyor belts is standard design; the MFS units can be put together in any given number to form a material train or be used as part of a ballast distribution system and ballast cleaning machines. MFS units with a rigid transfer conveyor belt are used in formation as part of the conveyor line and/or as hoppers, and unloading is performed by an MFS unit in formation with a slewing conveyor belt.
The hoppers are suitable for all types of loose material, company officials said. All conveyor belts are powered hydraulically; a diesel engine supplies the power.
The machines are available in four variations — MFS40, MFS60, MFS100, and MFS100 S — and are capable of conveying, storing, and unloading up to 41 (MFS40), 61 (MFS60) and 90 (MFS100 and MFS100 S) cubic yards of ballast, spoils or other material in a train formation to and from various work sites. The MFS100 S also features an additional transfer conveyor belt and ballast distributing devices, which allow for an exact dosage of ballast into a track or onto the ballast shoulder, company officials said.
Demand for continuous-welded rail (CWR) “has stayed strong over the past several years and continues to grow with increased federal funding,” L.B. Foster Co. officials said. The company owns and operates an upgraded fleet of trains to ship CWR to railroads and transit agencies throughout North America.
In addition to shipping CWR in 1,600-foot lengths, BNSF Logistics, L.B. Foster and Steel Dynamics expect to begin shipping 320-foot pieces of rail in the near future. BNSF Logistics designed and manufactured a five-car consist that can handle 60 320-foot pieces. A patent-pending solution allows the rails to be loaded in groups of five via overhead magnetic cranes — significantly reducing loading time compared with typical end-loading of individual rails, L.B. Foster officials said.
Prior to the development of the five-car consist, rail manufactured by Steel Dynamics in 320-foot lengths either had to be cut back to 80 feet or welded to 1,600-foot rail for shipment. The new consist enables rail to be shipped without any additional handling or processing, and it enhances efficiency at a job site with less welding and labor, company officials said.
The 320-foot length also allows for fewer joints or welds, which leads to less maintenance and fewer potential failure points, they added. The shorter rails are considered ideal for curve patching, extended grade crossings and other high-stress areas.
Omaha Track, which handles and processes more than 3 million ties annually, offers a one-stop material handling equipment shop by specializing in custom building, fabrication and maintenance for maintenance-of-way and construction equipment, company officials said.
The company’s material handling equipment inventory features a variety of grapple trucks, OTM trackers, hi-rail excavators, grinders and other equipment for sale or rent.
The Brandt R5 Power Unit is a rail-car mover designed to carry out various tasks, including maintenance-of-way (MOW), revenue service and emergency response work. Railroads can use the U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant unit to pull heavy loads up steep grades and then quickly switch to the road, company officials said.
The unit also can produce up to 605 horsepower, 2,050 foot-pounds and 50,000 pounds of tractive effort. Power and torque are delivered by an off-road transmission and tridem drive axles, and the unit can reach highway speeds up to 65 mph, on-rail speeds up to 30 mph and reverse speed at 25 mph.
Meanwhile, the Brandt Power Unit Crane Model is suited for various applications, including MOW. With a heavy lifting capacity of 11,000 pounds at 10 feet, it efficiently accomplishes material-handling tasks, company officials said. Extra storage capacity is available on the deck surface and in the cabinets for track tools.
The tie crane offers a reach of 28 feet and can lift up to 3,700 pounds at 25 feet with a cordless continuous-swing bypass-type grapple. The A-frame style outriggers and pedestal frame attached to the R5 Power Unit frame rails provide stability, even with heavy loads. A 30-inch magnet system also is available to handle other materials.
Hyster ReachStackers are available in a wide range of configurations and options. By combining several features — such as an elevating operator cabin — the Hyster® RS46 ReachStacker can load and unload containers from the second rail, even when there is a truck chassis or container on the first rail. The operator cab provides comfort and all-around visibility for operators working in the toughest applications and extreme weather conditions, company officials said.
The RS46 is available with a load capacity of up to 101,413 pounds and features a two-stage boom design constructed from T-1 steel, with two-plane welding for additional strength. The one-piece frame features reinforced welding of the main sections with heavy-duty rear supports.
Major engine and drivetrain components are engineered to operate on 500-hour service intervals, but the truck is also designed for simple serviceability when maintenance is required, with lightweight aluminum floor plates and a sliding cab providing easy access to major components, company officials said.
Hyster recently developed and shipped a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered ReachStacker for piloting at the Port of Valencia in Spain.
RailHaul Technologies has developed a self-propelled, semi-autonomous heavy-haul freight-car system.
At the center of RailHaul’s solutions are two proprietary systems: the Distributed Power, Energy Harvesting & Traction System (D-PEHT) and the patented self-propelled transporters. The D-PEHT “harnesses the momentum intrinsic to the heavy-haul rail industry and turns it into environmentally compliant power,” company officials said.
The transporters offer up to a nominal 110-metric-ton load capacity and can be outfitted with two, three or four AC-traction motor propulsion systems. The power systems also are available in various options and configurations, including battery electric hybrid, diesel or natural gas fuel inline generators.
By coupling these capabilities, the company can offer customized products and integration options for any material handling use case, RailHaul officials said. The system can be used on heavy-haul freight car systems and unpowered dump cars or for the energy harvesting and regeneration enhancement of existing rail cars.
Michael Popke is a Madison, Wisconsin-based freelance writer. Email comments or questions to prograil@tradepress.com.
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