Railcar Wheelset Changeout System

Handling Specialty was approached by a mining company to engineer and manufacture a heavy duty, durable wheelset change-out system for railcars used in mining operations. The lift was manufactured to last in the extreme conditions that exist in mining facilities in northern Canada. 

The wheel-set change-out process begins with a train moving into the rail maintenance facility. The train is positioned with the worn wheel-set over the split rail section of track attached to the wheel-set drop buggy.  Once the wheel-set is blocked into place on the lift, the split rail is then manually disconnected allowing the buggy’s lift to hydraulically lower the wheel-set. The buggy can then traverse along the rails in a pit beneath the train to an unloading area where the wheel-set is raised.  At this time the old wheel-set is exchanged  for a new or refurbished one and the process is reversed for the insertion of the new wheel-set into the train. 

Features

• Electrically powered to travel along tracks in a pit beneath the train    
• Top of carriage incorporates rails    
• Built for use in a wet, outdoor environment