THE first Desec tracklayer TL70 was recently handed over to Rail Infrastructure Corporation in Sydney.
Unique to this tracklayer is that panels up to 40m long, 5m wide and 36t can be lifted, moved in any direction and placed to required location with accuracy, speed and no bending or sagging.
The machine is radio remote controlled and can be operated by one person. It can work under live catenarys and work on busy and crammed railway yards. For long haul transport it climbs onto a flat rail wagon or a trailer. Desec also supplies turn-out panel transport wagons (PTWs) for their long distance transport.
Currently, there are 24 such tracklayers working around the world in 13 countries.
A complete Desec turnout transport and laying system consists of special turnout PTWs and turnout laying machines. The PTW is provided with a tilted deck making possible to transport turnout panels within the clearance from the turnout assembly plant to the site for hundreds of kilometres at the speed of 80 to 100 km/h.
The tracklayer can pick up and lay turnouts direct from PTW to the track and vice versa. It can remove old turnouts from the track and pick up new turnouts from any place they are located and move them to the desired directions for unlimited distances.
Due to increasing requirements for speed, cost-efficiency and quality in turnout replacement the Desec system claims to be replacing conventional systems in turnout assembly, transport and replacing tracks.
This layer is a radio remote-controlled track and turnout element replacing machine. The straddle-carrier concept with the large carrying capacity and ability to move in different directions make it a unique machine.
The tracklayer is a multi-purpose machine. Beside replacing and laying track and turnout elements, it can be also used for laying sleepers and rails separately while accessories are provided. The machine can handle complete turnout and track elements provided with concrete, wooden or steel sleepers. It suits different working methods and is able to work under overhead wires and in cramped railway yards.
Developed in cooperation with the railways, the tracklayer can independently pick up the element from the place it is laid or from a wagon, move it to the working site and install in the right place with speed and accuracy. The machine grips the element being carried against the bottom of the tracklayer’s body so that no sag or distortion of the element occurs.
– Construction Contractor