The Classic Machinery Network

Hello Martyn...... There is obviously a very good reason for it but I can't work out why that Track Cleaner needs two 3300 hp engines to pull it, surley its not that heavy? I don't recall seeing any crawlers on "track trolleys" down under although they may well be about but plenty of modified road vehicles running the rails. Very interesting photos though. Cheers Don.

The reason the rail cleaner train is pulled by two class 66 is so it's easy to change ends instead of having to move the train to the other side.

As Ryan says,its to speed up the direction change,both locos are under power as a cable runs through the train.The timings of this train is very strict as they have to run and not interfere with the other trains running or delay them in any way.They are manned by one driver and an operator that jets an lays sandite using a remote control box,he sits in the leading cab with the driver.The water is jetted at 20,000 psi
When I test the equipment,I place a metal plate under the jet nozzle as the water jet will cut the steel rail.They used to use two 1750 hp class 37's but the 3300hp class 66 have replaced them. The train only runs in the leaf season,the locos return to normal duties and the train is decomissioned and serviced for next season. DBS rail runs nearly all these trains and run very close to 100% availability
Martyn

Thanks Ryan and Martyn ........ Very interesting.

No probs

Ryan / Martyn,

I am no expert on railway plant, but I seem to recall seeing what looked like rail wagon mounted concrete mixers along with an overhead batching plant on a siding somewhere near Doncaster in the mid nineties. I've never seen that kind of gear before or since. Is it still in use anywhere?

Matt.

Mat
That train was used to mix concrete for mast and signal bases as it difficult to get road mixers to some sites.During my apprenticeship I worked on all sorts of on track vehicles including ballast cleaners amd Plasser tampers.The type of job that used to be done by the concrete train is now done by road railers with concrete skips.A massive resignalling and track job is now underway on the South Wales mainline.In the yard where I am based,there are 3 Komatsu 41's and 8 road railers along with other types of plant.

At readypower we use these they mount on just a normal flatbed rail trailer and operates under the hydraulics from a road rail vehicle we used to use a cement mixer mounted on a truck can't seem to find a picture of it at the moment but if I find it I will post it
URL of the original image: http://184.72.239.143/mu/b26d4cc3-b21d-2844.jpg

Here we go found them we hired this from shovlin plant on the west coast main line project
URL of the original image: http://184.72.239.143/mu/b26d4cc3-d694-8b37.jpg
URL of the original image: http://184.72.239.143/mu/b26d4cc3-d6b8-6366.jpg

Thanks Ryan and Martyn.

I'd imagined that there must have been some sort of specialised gear for concreting on railways where access would obviously be an issue for mixer trucks.

My only involvment on railway work was when I organised a delivery of concrete for constructing a ford on the access road for the Trans-Australia Railway as it leaves outback Western Australia for South Australia. No fuel (or water) on this 250 mile return trip, so I had to tow a bowser behind a 4x4 to refuel the trucks on site to get them back to Kalgoorlie.

Matt.