Pettibone Upgrades Speed Swing Crane

Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-In-Chief, Railway Age
Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC’s new Speed Swing 445F2 rail crane is powered by a fuel-efficient 163-horsepower Cummins QSB4.5 Tier 4 diesel engine.
Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC’s new Speed Swing 445F2 rail crane is powered by a fuel-efficient 163-horsepower Cummins QSB4.5 Tier 4 diesel engine.
Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC has rolled out the Speed Swing 445F2, an updated version of what it calls “the industry’s original do-it-all rail crane,” which was “developed with customer feedback in mind” and “is designed to accept more than a dozen attachments for laying rails, setting ties and numerous other maintenance-of-way tasks.”

Powered by a fuel-efficient 163-horsepower Cummins QSB4.5 Tier 4 diesel engine, the Speed Swing 445F2 offers a 49-gallon fuel tank, a 28% increase over the previous model’s tank. “The added fuel capacity allows for extended working intervals, especially when covering longer stretches of rail maintenance or relocating to a remote jobsite,” Pettibone says.

The 445F2 offers a maximum load capacities of 10,000 (front) and 8,000 (side) pounds. With a 180-degree boom rotation, the machine is primarily used to thread out old rail and thread in new rail. An optional magnet package “quickly cleans up old plates, spikes and small pieces of rail.” The unit can also tow rail carts, move railcars, and supply air or hydraulics for hand tools. Its Dana T20000 three-speed transmission with twist-grip electric shift control “delivers exceptional torque,” enabling the 445F2 to “quickly transition between job sites, traveling at 25 mph on hi-rail and 20 mph with all-terrain rubber tires. The tires, along with 4-wheel-drive with a rear-wheel disconnect, afford greater maneuverability off the rails.”

Pettibone notes the 445F2 is “durably built for challenging railroad applications, offering planetary front and rear axles with front differential lock. Four-wheel outboard dry-disc service brakes provide sure stopping power, and a hydraulic-release parking brake is standard.” An optional feature is X-Command®, a Pettibone telematics program “that offers real-time access to machine data. The platform allows for remote diagnosis, eliminating the need for certain field service calls.”

The Speed Swing is also “designed to simplify service and maximize uptime,” the company says. “The unit’s ROPS (Roll Over Protective Structure )/FOPS (Falling Object Protective Structure) cab and engine enclosure both tilt, providing direct access to service points and machine components. The spacious, climate-controlled operator cab includes a digital display module; full instrumentation panel; and precise, pilot-operated controls. Tinted safety glass and a rear-view camera help ensure safe operation at all times.”

Pettibone says the Speed Swing 445F2 “can be built to meet customer specifications for particular applications. Common options and attachments include a tote boom with hook, hydraulic tool circuit, magnet package, AAR coupler, track cleaning bucket, load bucket, 20-foot extendable boom, fork frame, brush cutter, snowplow, and many more.”

Founded in 1881, Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC—part of the Industrial Technologies Group, an affiliate of The Heico Companies—“has been recognized as the industry leader in material handling equipment since the company revolutionized the industry with the first forward-reaching, rough-terrain machines in the 1940s.”

Tags: , , , ,

Media