Crane News

What are Rail Cranes?

Mobile Cranes | Apr 27 / 23

Even many years after their invention, railways are considered one of the most popular ways of getting from one location to another. Many cities have developed complex underground railways for public transport that need to be maintained with special equipment, such as railway cranes, on a near regular basis. In this article, we try to explain what rail cranes are.

What are Rail Cranes?

Rail cranes are a special type of crane that is commonly used on railways due to their functions. Even though they have many different uses, their main function is to handle tasks such as performing recovery after an accident that might have occurred and performing regular maintenance to help prevent accidents that could be a harm to the public from occurring.

This type of crane offers a high weight capacity for hoisting incredibly heavy items, which means that they are also a great choice for hoisting different types of freight onto train beds. Rail cranes comprise of a crane body capable of rotating itself to effectively cater to many different tasks, an incredibly durable chassis, and the gear capable of moving in motion with the locomotive.

Advantages of a Rail Crane

Some of the main advantages of using a rail crane for railway repairs and hoisting freight include:

  • Can support a load of up to 250 tons
  • They usually contain a self-propelling system
  • Capable of travelling on tracks
  • Can be used for a wide variety of maintenance and hoisting operations

Safety Guidelines to Follow

Due to the nature of this machinery, there are several different guidelines and safety precautions that must be taken into consideration before operating a railway crane. It is essential to ensure that all the machinery’s components are in optimal condition. This means you should inspect the crane before use and check to see if there are any possible obstacles in the vicinity of the work area that may prove to be hazardous.