can anyone tell me when the hydralic track equipment first came into use? thanks jbk
Mass use of hydraulics in construction, including railroad, began , in earnest, in the 1940's.
What's the question?
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
is there no one out there in the vast forum world that has no info on this subject.apparently this has stumped everybody on the forum,or know one is interested in the question.please someone answer with some pertenent info. thanks jbk
What type of equipment are you referring too? I worked on a ballast tamper this past summer that was still mechanical and used mechanical vibrators powered by electric motors. Hydraulics have been around since the 1940s and earlier but wide spread use really began in the 1960s. It wasn't until flexible hoses that can handle the extremely high pressure came out that allowed hydraulics to be common place on equipment. Every part of a hydraulic system has to be working load rated at or above the working pressure with a built in safety factor of 3 times the working pressure. This is mandated by OSHA, MSHA, SAE, and others. I work on large mining equipment for a living. Some of the larger 6 wire hoses are so hard to bend that you have to come up with some creative ways of installing them.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
pete,thank you for your reply.the equipment i would like to know about are the above mentioned tamper as well as burro cranes,ballast regulators,tie removers,and alignment machines.my interest is the late fortys and early fifttys.if you have any info regarding this time frame and the above mentioned equipment,i would like to hear from you. thanks again,john
John.
Burro cranes were cable machines and traveled via gear box transmissions or chain. No hydraulics at all but the latter models had pneumatic assisted control. The 40s and 50s were still times of inexpensive labor but saw some advances in machines like Jordan spreaders, Ballast door hoppers, and other equipment like pneumatic wrenches and rail punches. Pneumatics ruled supreme until reliable hydraulics started in the 60s to 70s. Believe it or not most track maintenance is still labor intensive and mechanical things like track jacks, shovels and sledge hammers are the norm.
This is a video of an early track alignment machine. LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1O2X890tig&feature=related