The rail sector promises to be a significant source of new work in the coming years and the Kinshofer Group supplies a full range of solutions
“Railroad crews don’t have time to bring in large sleeper exchangers for quick repairs and maintenance; it’s a cumbersome and time-consuming process,” explains Andy Little, Kinshofer UK National Excavator Sales Manager. “Our Sleeper Changers enable quick and easy repairs with a machine that’s readily available — an excavator. An experienced operator can change as many as 40 sleepers per hour with one of our attachments.”
As the extensive display of rail focused attachments Kinshofer recently brought to the Railworx Show at the East of England Showground demonstrated, the company is ideally placed to provide just such a solution. Founded in Germany in 1971, the Group includes the Kinshofer, Demarec, RF System, Auger Torque, Doherty, Solesbee’s and Hammer brands. In fact, Kinshofer prides itself on being a one-stop shop, offering a wide product range with just about every type of attachment for equipment carriers, with or without hydraulics, in sectors as diverse as rail, construction, waste and recycling, demolition, landscaping, utilities and forestry. Additionally, it offers multiple mounting options for a carrier machine, whether via direct mount, mounting bracket or quick-change coupler.
The RBS Sleeper Changer is a specialised attachment for efficient railway maintenance and repair. The RBS can be used with 12 to 24 tonne rail excavators to quickly exchange existing concrete and wooden sleepers without disrupting the track.
Kinshofer Group company RF System designed the RBS to make quick work of railway maintenance as well as short track segment repairs, small track exchanges and placement of secondary tracks. The attachments’ large shields allow operators to easily clear ballast from the tracks, and after the new sleeper is placed, quickly backfill and level the ballast.
The lightweight RBS sleeper changer quickly replaces various sized concrete and wood railway sleepers using hydraulically operated grippers for precise operation. For enhanced efficiency, the attachment is capable of continuous 360-degree rotation and multi-directional tilting up to 50 degrees when paired with the same manufacturer’s NOX-Tiltrotator. This compact, cylinderless unit enables operators to pick up items close to the tracks and work quickly with minimal excavator movement and without incurring downtime due to damage to rams or protruding parts.
To ensure safe operation, the attachment features a special holding valve to maintain a secure grip even if pressure drops. Made from Hardox steel to reduce wear and increase product longevity, it also comes with an industry leading two-year warranty.
