More secure than conventional
tie down cars
Automatic Rail Clamping and
Unclamping Machine
Welded rail trains move massive amounts of continuous welded rail (CWR) from the rail/steel plants to job sites throughout the system of rail networks across North America. To move that product safely, it has to be secured to the rail train to prevent it from moving during transit.
The Automated Tie-Down Car® (ATC) secures CWR to most existing rail train configurations with more power, faster operation, and better remote access than conventional systems.
New track construction
Commuter railroads
Short line railroads
Getting a lock on CWR transit
Conventional systems bolt steel plates over the base of the rails in multiple spots on each rail to transport. This takes extra time and manpower to do, both at the rail plants and at the unloading site.
With the ATC, no time is wasted waiting on crews to manually clamp/unclamp rail. The ATC also eliminates the need for maintenance-intensive air compressors with air-operated impact wrenches that can be lost, broken, and unreliable.
Automated Tie Down Car® Features
Remote operation Using a remote control, unloading crews can select which rail they want to unload and unclamp direct from the unloading unit.
Hydraulic clamps The clamps are made of a copper/bronze alloy to prevent the scarring of rail and offer 85,000 lbs of holding power.
Quick, versatile unloading Clamps can release any type of rail in any order on the train in only 5-10 seconds per rail.
Solar-powered Clamps are operated by solar power and use a backup generator if power is not sufficient.
Increased safety & efficiency No human contact with rails is required so there is no time waiting for tie-down crew to manually unclamp rail.
Easy to use No mounting/dismounting of tie-down cars is required for operation.