• STB collects service recovery reports from BNSF, CSX, NS, UP

9/28/2015

Gradall Industries, Inc.: Rail maintenance machines

Gradall Industries, Inc., has introduced a collection of new options for its Railway Maintenance Machines. These new options represent handle a wide range of maintenance and construction jobs for railroads, municipal railways, city transit systems and others involved in rail construction, repair and right-of-way work.
 
Gradall machines feature low-profile, long-reach capabilities using the telescoping, tilting Gradall boom design. With a 220-degree full boom tilt capability, Gradall machines can efficiently use a range of attachments to build and repair rail crossings, clean up landslides, replace rails, spread ballast and cut back overhanging trees and other vegetation.
 
For even more attachment positioning versatility, Gradall offers an optional Kinshofer Nox-Tiltrotator, featuring 360-degree continuous attachment rotation and an extra 110 degrees of tilt motion, enabling operators to position attachments with more precision and in more locations than any other maintenance machine. The Nox-Tiltrotator also accommodates a wide range of attachments designed for railway maintenance efficiency, which can be changed hydraulically from the operator cab.
 
The Gradall carrier's short rear tail swing and low-profile telescoping boom create a compact profile, allowing Gradall machines to work efficiently under bridges and inside tunnels where knuckle booms won’t fit, the company says
 
Gradall Railway Maintenance Machines can be quickly driven to the rail crossing, where carriers are positioned over the tracks. The rail gear system is quickly lowered into place, allowing the machine to move easily to one or more track repair and maintenance locations, company officials say.
 
Two rail systems are available, both of which are designed for easy, efficient travel along with the security of automatic digging brakes:
    •    The newly available Neotec rail gear system uses hydrostatic drive for on-rail mobility, achieving speeds of 15 mph or more. From the operator cab, the rail gear system is lowered and mobility is changed from the road mode to the rail mode and back. With the carrier wheels raised, hydrostatic drive speeds the carrier to the job site where carrier wheels may be hydraulically lowered for maximum stability during digging, lifting and ballast movement.
    •    Diversified rail gear system uses guides to position the carrier over the tracks and then uses the carrier’s wheels for mobility – also maintaining excellent working stability.
 
Gradall offers Railway Maintenance Machines in various sizes and capacities, designed in two styles to meet varying off-rail mobility needs:
    •    Highway speed models can be driven over highways at 60 mph, without the need for a lowboy trailer. This enables them to get to rail crossings quickly and then back to the safety of the equipment yard at night.
    •    On/off pavement models efficiently travel over pavement at speeds typically exceeding 15 mph. After traveling over rails to the work site, these models demonstrate their exceptional stability, working in any direction.
 
A host of standard operator cab features include air conditioning, removable front window, a large adjustable seating module and a switch to select Gradall, SAE or Deere joystick patterns. Highway speed carrier advantages include an automatic transmission.
 
Machines have almost 70 percent parts commonality, which simplifies the task of maintaining inventories to complete common service functions, the company says. These machines also have longer routine service intervals, and most service locations can be reached from ground level. A network of authorized distributors supports all Gradall excavators, supplying service advice and authorized Gradall parts.