I might brave the weather and go watch the operation tonight. One segment of a bridge was replaced and CN seems to be doing the work at night.
Ed
Overmod schlimm http://www.r-crane.com/index.html It is an American company but i wonder if the equipment is imported? The location in cary is simply a house in a residential neighborhood. Interesting question. Mr. Markelz notes he's the inventor and founder, but that says nothing about whether he's outsourced the actual construction of the equipment... or where it's actually constructed. I will try to find out more.
schlimm http://www.r-crane.com/index.html It is an American company but i wonder if the equipment is imported? The location in cary is simply a house in a residential neighborhood.
http://www.r-crane.com/index.html
It is an American company but i wonder if the equipment is imported? The location in cary is simply a house in a residential neighborhood.
Interesting question. Mr. Markelz notes he's the inventor and founder, but that says nothing about whether he's outsourced the actual construction of the equipment... or where it's actually constructed. I will try to find out more.
Thanks very much for the responses ! Tend to agree with what Larry (tree68) it is a neat machine!
My reasoning was that it seems that the Europeans seem to invent machines for problems specific to their environment. Mr. Marketz deserves a lot of respect for his inventiveness. The fact that it can be transported to the work site and accomplish the task of bridge replacement in a relatively short time, and its ability to operate in such tight conditions, while protecting its work crews is admirable.
Unless there are similar machines elsewhere in the country (or the world), I'd opine this is a case of "see a need, fill a need." Have to give him credit for devising a unique approach to the "problem."
I'm guessing that he contracted construction and assembly to a fabricating company. All of the components (hydraulics, etc) are likely commercial, off-the-shelf items. The flat cars are probably "cast-offs" from Class 1's or shortlines.
I'd also imagine that he hopes to keep it on the move. I didn't count the cars in the "train," but even at a couple of dollars a day per car, storing it anywhere will run up a pretty good bill fairly quickly. Even moreso if it's a secure location.
It is a neat machine.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
MP173I believe it is an American company...
(630) 258-1240 Email - Paul H. Markelz ("president, founder, inventor") More power to him!
I believe it is an American company....I will give them a call later as they use the product which I sell.
CN might be installing a new bridge today, the preformed concrete bridge segments had a designation of BR65.36 which is the milepost location for a bridge over Hog Creek (per old GTW track chart). I am not heading out to witness this engineering feat as wind chill is in single digits and I can watch on YouTube.
Sure is a slick crane.
Thank You, Ed(mp173) for posting this and to Overmod for the videos posted...
Personally,I enjoy the process of ROW Maintenance, and the equipment used in those processes. OUt here the BNSF does quite a bit of mainenance on their lines. And many of the operations are done by specialized contractors and their proprietary equipment. This past Summer the BNSF replaced a bridge on line between Winfield and Augusta. I guess in light of the R Crane video, they did it in a 'conventional' manner. It was a timber trestle over a small branch of a creek. The pre cast concrete was staged and the bridge replaced, the single tracked structure is on a busy line, in a matter of hours. No special equipment was used, just BNSF employees and company equipment.
I can see where the R crane equipment would be a benefit on a busy line that had lots of traffic. I was a little troubled while watching the AMTRAK trains passing at 'normal' speeds. Around here, even on the double tracked sections, thru train's travel at very reduced speeds, and there is lots of horn'warnings' in those 'work zones'...
Is the R crane a European Railroad innovation, that was brought over to the USA?
It seems like the right equipment for the work it is being used for.
Watched the video of them installing a bridge at Merrillville In (partial viewing, not then entire 1 hour plus). Interesting crane and operation.
I too would enjoy hearing from those who have been around this operation.
MP173CN has a R Crane parked at Valparaiso, In. Interesting piece of equipment.
You mean one of these?
A short video discussing crew safety while using the equipment is here:
http://www.r-crane.com/rcrane-1min-video.html (I can't get the video tool to embed it this morning)
Wait for the end of this video, then watch some of the other Paul Markelz videos available on the Vimeo service. R-Crane's video library links here.
Here is one, showing work on the Amtrak Empire Line (it's taken from a three-part video that shows this job in more detail):
I'll be interested to hear more from railroaders who use this equipment.
CN has a R Crane parked at Valparaiso, In. Interesting piece of equipment.
Are these commonly used? What are the advanatages and benefits of these cranes?Ed
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