In the past, several railroads were fast to switch out huge track personnel with machines to prevent accidents, lower expenses, and expedite work. Some roads require versatile railway equipment or devices that can execute many maintenances of way tasks because the volume of freight traffic continues to make it impossible for maintenance of way managers to set aside time to install rail and ties, replace ballast, or reinforce bridges. And the industry that supplies railroads have continued to adapt by creating a variety of machinery that can serve a variety of purposes. To understand more about the options available, Progressive Railroading contacted a variety of manufacturers of multi-purpose maintenance of way equipment.

Brandt Road Rail Corp.

The Rail Tool, a John Deere Excavator that Brandt modified for rail use, has been available since 2005 from Brandt Road Rail Corp. According to Sales and Marketing Manager Neil Marcotte, Brandt upgraded the Deere hydraulic system and put the machine on hi-rail machinery that Brandt makes. This allowed the machine to move at track speeds of up to 25 mph. The hi-rail machinery can be raised to create enough clearance for use off-rail.

The auxiliary engine in both the Deere 120D and 225D versions produces an additional 200 horsepower. It powers auxiliary accessories when coupled with the onboard hydraulic system. The attachments can be utilized for a variety of activities, including clearing brush, undercutting, mowing, excavating, and more.

The TRT-909 Track Renewal System, created by Harsco Rail, combines some features into a single piece of machinery.

The TRT-909, which debuted in June 2005, can autonomously apply Pandrol rail fastenings, pull and recover spikes, remove and collect rail anchors, remove and install the rail, and heat rail with induction rail heaters.

The company’s 35 years of experience putting in more than 20 million concrete ties using Harsco Rail’s Model P811 track rehabilitation machinery served as the foundation for the design concept. According to Stephen Byers, senior director of track renewal for Harsco Rail, the TRT-909 can be utilized with concrete, pre-plated wood, or steel ties. The device has a production rate of roughly 0.25 mph and finishes work on both lines at once, he said.

The Company Herzog Railroad Services

The Multi-Purpose Machine (MPM), a six-car device with remote control operation either from the end of the equipment or from the track hoe, is offered by Herzog Railroad Services Inc. (HRSI).

Tim Francis, vice president of marketing at HRSI, stated that the MPM has been available since 1999 and that many sets are currently being used by different railroad customers. The MPM is a self-propelled, one-operator machine that gives railroads the capacity to carry out numerous jobs with just one piece of equipment.

Up to 480 cubic yards of material can be carried by the 500-foot-long machine. Every track features a roto-tilt articulating head and can extend up to 27 feet from the track center.

Multipower HIPPO

According to Chief Operating Officer Chris Klope, HIPPO Multipower started as a railroad equipment supplier of the military field power supply before starting to serve the training industry seven years ago.

The business initially repaired railroad trucks. Along the way, corporate representatives observed the vehicles were having hydraulic issues brought on by a lack of cooling or inadequate hydraulic circuits. A similar issue was present with hydraulic power units (HPU).

According to HIPPO Multipower Sales Manager Wally Fordyce in an email, “with the help of Union Pacific Railroad, I developed the HIPPO PowerTrack, which resolved the cooling and hydraulic circuit difficulties while also boosting safety and performance.”