Proper handling for moving materials

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

Multi-purpose and safe equipment is what the railroads want.

 

Rail, crossties and other materials are heavy, bulky and not easily moved from one place to another, whether crews are installing or removing. Suppliers offer trusted and safe equipment to get the job done within tight work windows.

Brandt

Brandt Rail Services says customers are seeing the benefits of concrete ties, however, the company notes installing concrete ties is a more time consuming process requiring specific technologies.
Brandt recently developed a system to handle concrete ties. The company says concrete ties are shipped to customer locations by various means; once at the customer site, the concrete ties are generally loaded on to a distribution platform.

“We were challenged by a client to eliminate the need to double handle the tie before it is placed at the installation location,” the company noted. “The customers have been satisfied that we have eliminated this challenge and were able to capitalize on the Brandt OTM Tracker system’s productivity and efficiencies.
“With work windows becoming tighter and production equipment not easily available, efficiency becomes paramount,” Brandt explained. “With the industry proven OTM Tracker system, Brandt Rail Services has developed a distribution platform capable of meeting these demands.”

Dymax

Dymax Rail recently launched a few products, one of which is the Dymax Rail Trailer line, which includes improved braking performance and the all new solar-powered battery backup lighting. The red and white LED lighting system features automatic direction sensing. This product is designed for working behind hi-rail grapple trucks or other road rail vehicles, such as excavators and swing loaders.
“The overall sense of the market is good,” explained Kevin Klenklen, director of rail products. “We’re seeing continued growth outside North America, as well as a steady rise of traffic from the U.S. and Canadian Markets. Southeast Asia has been particularly good for Dymax.”

Klenklen notes that Dymax is always improving safety of its facilities and products. Dymax Rail products feature built-in load check valves that ensure positive grip of the material; the Dymax Rail Handler and Tie Handling tools all feature positive lock in case of hydraulic pressure loss on the machine and the new Dymax Rail solar-powered LED red/white light kit for trailers features automatic direction sensing without having to be wired to the truck.

Geismar – MTM

Geismar-MTM recently released its Storm Cab 3. The company worked closely with CN to integrate winter snow clearing functions into a material handling and distribution road/rail truck design that becomes a four-season workhorse for its track department.

“By combining winter and summer applications, customers will see a marked savings over seasonal use capital equipment by reducing the need for winter specific equipment within their fleet,” explained Michael Byrne, general manager Track Machinery, LTD. “The key to Geismar Storm cost savings is integration of power sources to operate four-season requirements, knowledge we carried from our experience with our Geismar 360 Loader, which is used for material handling, as well as snow removal with a cold air blower.”

Byrne says the focus was to make the Geismar Storm as versatile as possible. Switch clearing in winter using Geismar’s Cab 3 cold air blower system mounted to a log loader boom allows snow clearing of a turnout over front or either side on-rail or off-rail. The blower produces 14,000cfm at nozzle exit speed of 300 mph that can be varied in force while the operator moves unit on track. A standard yard turnout can be cleared including point, stock rails and switch stand in three to five minutes.

“When winter is over, it never seemed to end this year, a six-hour conversion turns the Geismar Storm into a Grapple truck with 21 feet of payload deck, a log loader with a 25-foot reach and 140,000-foot/pound capacity,” Byrne noted. “In summer, the rear-mount position of loader allows towing of trailers to distribute and pick-up rail or ties using our combination rail/tie grapple or OTM with 28-inch magnet.”

He explains that from the beginning of development of the Storm Cab 3, safety has been the biggest priority. It was designed with unhindered visibility on the road as the blower stows on deck when travelling. Simplicity of operation is another characteristic, including one remote control for all functions on track including work speed travel. And finally, operator comfort was important. The Storm Cab 3 can be operated from the driver or passenger seat, depending on track being cleared. All work areas can be seen from the comfort of truck cab. The extended cab provides added comfort and storage room.

“In summer mode, the unit can be operated from seat on loader or from ground at a safe distance,” Byrne said. “A grapple designed and engineering certified to pinch or clasp a rail without slip or marking rail is just one of many details considered by our design team and incorporated into the final build.”

GREX

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX) recently launched several new services focused on enhancing efficiency and safety of both tie and ballast handling. The first of these is its new tie set out solution, which became available at the start of the year. It utilizes the Aurora® tie inspection system’s tie-by-tie differential GPS and milepost location information to optimize the tie set out process, which is then performed by its Self-Powered Slot Machine® (SPS) independent work platform.

Through a partnership with mobile app developer Enola Labs, GREX developed real-time tie set out optimization algorithms that utilize GPS and encoder data. A dedicated app with the algorithms is installed on Android-based tablets located in the SPS’s excavator. The commonality of the GPS and wheel encoder used by Aurora and the SPS train is said to ensure reliable location information for ties to be set out precisely where the company’s Aurora system identified defective ties.

The GREX Tie Maintenance Optimizer (TMO) App uses the location of defective ties gathered by Aurora and applies variables, such as tie gang direction, consideration for special trackwork, locations of bridges/crossings and max bundle size to place ties on the ground. The tablet mounted inside the excavator keeps the operator informed in real-time of overall progress and the exact number of ties to drop off. The TMO App automatically updates and recalculates the unloading plan as ties are set out and the SPS moves down the track. It is designed to reduce handling and reduce operating costs for tie gangs.

“This tie set out solution is a logical extension of Aurora’s inspection capabilities,” the company noted. “Scanning more than 35,000 miles of track per year, Aurora can account for the location of every tie along the way. That allows the tie set out solution to distribute replacement ties exactly where they are needed most, which equates directly to dollars and time saved.”

For the past 20 years, the GREX DumpTrain® fleet has been used in the railroad maintenance community and GREX says new enhancements have made it even more versatile. DumpTrain continues to be used in offloading material for switches, road crossings, construction and bridge projects.

“Its ability to dump directly on the track in front of its nose provides railroads with a tool that can fill in a washout faster than any other rail-bound or truck solution,” the company said. “GREX has made improvements to the original DumpTrain design by equipping each hopper with its own self-contained belt. This allows the train to unload in curves by simply transitioning material from one car to the next.”

The prototype for this solution has been extensively tested on a Class 1 railroad and will soon be available for deployment on a broad scale.

Herzog

“Material-handling machine may be the best way to define the Herzog Railroad Services Inc. (HRSI) Multi-Purpose Machine (M.P.M.),” explained Tim Francis, vice president of marketing. “When the M.P.M. first went into service, it was equipped with grapples, buckets and a magnet but has since morphed into so much more. Our customers have helped us develop new ways to utilize the M.P.M. and as a result, we have added numerous attachments to our offering, which now also includes a brush cutter, tree shear, auger and, most recently, a rail shear.”

The company says the M.P.M’s speed, efficiency, versatility and capacity make it an extremely desirable machine for handling many materials and performing various tasks. The M.P.M. is designed for moving dirt, distributing and picking up O.T.M. and ties, drilling for PTC asset installation, crossing and bridge deck removal, snow removal, rip rap distribution and more.

Francis notes that several railroads are changing how they process their scrap rail. In the past, he says, the scrap rail was always picked up with a rail train, transported to a facility where the rail would be tested and thescrap section would be cropped out. The rail was then re-welded to cascade for reuse on another project. If worn significantly, the entire rail would be scrapped.

“The costs of train crews, locomotives and valuable track and time, as well as an abundance of legacy rail and the high value of scrap have led the railroads to look into alternative methods of scrap rail pick up,” said Francis.

In 2014, Herzog began helping a Class 1 railroad remove their legacy scrap rail. By utilizing Herzog’s new rail shear attachment, the team began to shear, pick up and remove scrap rail from their mainline. Francis notes that the M.P.M. has once again outperformed expectations and under ideal conditions, is able to make approximately 60 cuts per hour in 40-foot lengths.

Loram

Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., says its Raptor Rail Handling System sets a high standard for the rail handling industry in terms of speed, performance and reliability, as well as in safety.

“Over the past few years rail traffic has been at record breaking levels,” explained John Simmons, marketing specialist. “As a result, railroads continue to need enhancements, which will result in increased performance and productivity in the shortened window for maintenance. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to complete more work during a season and hopefully, reduce unit costs in the process.”

Loram points to new technologies, which allow customers to do a better job of assessing needs and planning the associated work plans. Simmons says these technologies are helping focus the efforts on the areas that will generate the greatest payback.

“In addition to the new technologies, railroads are coordinating equipment with work gangs and areas with major track outages,” noted Simmons “Utilizing these work blocks allows Loram longer periods of uninterrupted work time, which translates into more effective utilization of the maintenance time provided.”

Loram says its Raptor Rail Handling System out performs traditional rail handling systems with double the production and reduced staffing requirements.

“Raptor’s rail handling system retains total control of the rail while loading and reloading,” explained Simmons. “This significantly reduces the need for human interaction and leads to an outstanding safety record.”
Increased rail traffic is responsible for the greater need for maintenance, however, this also means shorter work windows.

Simmons notes that this is the reason the railroads are looking for equipment with increased performance and productivity.

“Loram is constantly looking for creative ways to make our equipment more productive, while maintaining or lowering unit cost and providing for the work to be done safely,” he said. “Efficient increases in productivity are vitally important, but not at the expense of safety. Although there is a large amount of work to be done, getting it done safely is of greatest importance. When in doubt…take the safe course of action.”

John Harnetty, Loram’s manager of organizational development and training is collaborating with the Loram Safety and Fleet Operations departments on a safety training initiative called STAR (Stop – Think – Act – Review). The goal of the program is to have everybody get in the habit to stop and think about their surroundings and the task before they do it. Think about the existing and potential hazards they will and could encounter as they perform the task. Think about the precautions they need to take to ensure the task is accomplished safely.

“It’s no different than the habit of always watching for movement at any time, in any direction, on any track,” said Simmons “After they have completed the task, review and assess it for possible safer ways of doing it again in the future.”

Omaha Track

Omaha Track has made a number of improvements to its creep drive systems that the company developed last year. They are equipped with electronic controls for better performance and protection and a wireless control option has been added, which allows the operator to drive the truck anywhere on the track or on the ground.

“Windows are tight and demand is immediate,” explained Mike Muhsman, general manager of Omaha Track. “Our customers have asked for more work lighting on our equipment. More crews are working into the evening during less busy track times.

He also notes that customers are looking for faster machines with ergonomic controls.

“We continue to review our product and discuss safety with our customers and equipment users,” said Andy Wiskerchen, sales manager. “We are providing more safety training on our equipment and have improved our warning labeling.”

Railquip

Railquip, Inc., says its battery-powered line of railcar movers is setting a new trend in bulk material handling.

“Compact, powerful machines that are non-polluting, quiet, easy to operate and completely safe are becoming very popular in this market sector,” explained Paul Wojcik, director of sales. “Operators are using this equipment for staging for loading/unloading of both tankers and hoppers of petrochemicals, chemicals, minerals, feed stocks and other bulk raw materials.

With the current increases seen in bulk transportation by rail, Wojcik says the industry is growing and operational efficiencies are gaining increasing importance. Because of their extreme versatility, being able to turn on their own axis and only requiring a small stretch of embedded track for on/off tracking, these units are ideal for operations where trackage is tight and space is a premium, he notes.

“Typically operated by a remote control device, the operators can be at a safe distance, away from couplings, brake lines and the moving vehicles,” he said.

Railquip’s Battery Powered Railcar Movers B-MAXI L and XL can also be equipped with a variety of optional equipment to fit other local needs. Loading cranes, scissor lift buckets and platforms can be added, as well as driver seats, driver cabins and air assist braking, to name a few. With added options, the car mover can be transformed into a multi-purpose vehicle for trackside maintenance or overhead work. It does not have to be on the rails for these alternate uses.

“With moving capacities up to 770 tons, these car movers compete with much larger, troublesome to maintain, costly, noisy and pollution-emitting locomotive-type car moving equipment,” explained Wojcik.

RCE

Rail Construction Equipment Co. (RCE) now offers the 250G Railavator High Rail Excavator with the rail handling package. This provides the customer with a heavy lifting excavator capable of working on and off track.

RCE says the 250G can accomplish heavy lifting tasks, such as rail change out and panel work. When outfitted with the optional magnet package, this machine is capable of OTM scrap reclaiming and track clean up.

“Machine versatility still is the most predominant request we are seeing for our customer base,” explained Dennis Hanke, sales manager at RCE. “The more they can accomplish with one machine the easier it is to work into the company’s overall equipment fleet profile.”

Hanke says safety is a high priority, as always.

“Along with John Deere’s ongoing machine improvements, RCE offers the latest in safety features available on construction based machines,” he noted. “RCE offers training programs and can custom tailor sessions for our customers.”

V&H Inc., Trucks

V&H Inc., Trucks, says it has spent years refining its new remote drive system called the “Driving Force,” a completely redesigned remote drive system. The “Driving Force” is a hydrostatic system, which alleviates the old air shift/electric method. The company says it has seen increased reliability and significant reductions in down time in its units.

“The current market has created high demand for material handlers,” explained V&H. “Continued shortened work windows and an increase in production requirements will only increase the need in the future. Customer budgets will always be tight and it is our hope to help them meet those in the future.”

V&H says safety is always first. The company is always looking to improve operational efficiencies, which ultimately deliver a safer and more reliable unit in the field. The company says customers are looking for increased lifting capacities with enhanced safety and notes it works closely with manufactures to help deliver those features to the market.

“V&H is continuing to evaluate the market for improved material to deliver the best possible product to our customers,” V&H explained. “We have our training facility in Marshfield, Wis., which has operational classes for our material handlers and rotary dump products. Additionally, at the customer’s request, we can conduct on site operational orientation and safety classes.”

Vaia Car

Cal Coy, consultant for Vaia Car, says that continuous improvements are always being made to the Vaia Car product line to insure safety and to increase productivity.

“For example,” he said, “excavators are already efficient at handling rail, removing and installing ties, distributing and tamping ballast and moving other track materials. New enhancements include a brush cutter attachment with a 36-foot reach from the centerline of track.”

The RT5 trailer is the latest innovation from Vaia Car to handle materials both on and off track. With hydraulically controlled road wheels, the RT5 can be loaded up to four tons off rail, moved on track and, if desired, can take on an additional 10 tons. For safety, the unit has pneumatic brakes operated from the towing unit.

“Customer budgets are about the same as projected with some up ticks in some areas,” noted Coy. “Adequate work windows are always a problem, however, some customers optimize work windows by combining forces to get the most productivity in the time available.”

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