A magnetic traction assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides additional downforce to improve traction for a railcar mover when required. The magnetic traction assembly may comprise a frame, an actuator, and a magnetic element positioned underneath a railcar mover. The magnetic element may be lowered to a deployed position, where the magnetic element is positioned near the railroad rails such that the magnetic field from the magnetic element interacts with the railroad rail creating an attraction force that provides additional downforce to the railcar mover.

A magnetic traction assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides additional downforce to improve traction for a railcar mover when required. The magnetic traction assembly may comprise a frame, an actuator, and a magnetic element positioned underneath a railcar mover. The magnetic element may be lowered to a deployed position, where the magnetic element is positioned near the railroad rails such that the magnetic field from the magnetic element interacts with the railroad rail creating an attraction force that provides additional downforce to the railcar mover.

Railway traction vehicle (1) that is equipped with four rubber wheels (6) and with four steel rail wheels (7), and all eight (88) can exert traction simultaneously on the rails over which a train is hauled. Each of the eight wheels is equipped with an individual hydraulic or electric motor (5) that can be controlled individually. The traction vehicle is equipped with tilting bogies (8a, 8b) with which the steel rail wheels can be raised or lowered. The tilting bogies also enable ballast bodies (24a, 24b) to be detached and placed on supports, by lowering the level of the supporting frame (2).

Railway traction vehicle (1) that is equipped with four rubber wheels (6) and with four steel rail wheels (7), and all eight (88) can exert traction simultaneously on the rails over which a train is hauled. Each of the eight wheels is equipped with an individual hydraulic or electric motor (5) that can be controlled individually. The traction vehicle is equipped with tilting bogies (8a, 8b) with which the steel rail wheels can be raised or lowered. The tilting bogies also enable ballast bodies (24a, 24b) to be detached and placed on supports, by lowering the level of the supporting frame (2).

An auxiliary drive axle assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides traction for a railcar mover when required. The auxiliary drive axle assembly comprises a frame, a plurality of hydraulic motors, and a plurality of wheel assemblies positioned underneath a railcar mover. The auxiliary drive axle assembly may be lowered to a use position where the wheels engage the rails either upon demand by the railcar mover operator or automatically by a control system based upon a set of monitored parameters. When in a use position, the control system directs the power to the hydraulic motors such that the wheel assemblies can have optimal traction to assist the railcar mover.

An auxiliary drive axle assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides traction for a railcar mover when required. The auxiliary drive axle assembly comprises a frame, a plurality of hydraulic motors, and a plurality of wheel assemblies positioned underneath a railcar mover. The auxiliary drive axle assembly may be lowered to a use position where the wheels engage the rails either upon demand by the railcar mover operator or automatically by a control system based upon a set of monitored parameters. When in a use position, the control system directs the power to the hydraulic motors such that the wheel assemblies can have optimal traction to assist the railcar mover.

A system and method are provided for spacing railcars of a train apart from each other with a predetermined gap in between. Embodiments include a railcar spacing tool having a hydraulic cylinder with brackets at opposing ends for contacting the frame of each of a pair of adjoined adjacent railcars to be spaced from each other, and a cylinder support frame attached to the cylinder and movably attached to a support vehicle such that the support frame is movable from a retracted position to an extended position where the brackets are between the frames of the pair of railcars. After moving the cylinder support frame to the extended position, the brackets are positioned in contact with the railcar frames, and the cylinder is engaged to create the predetermined gap between the railcars. The railcars' brakes are applied to preserve the gap, and the spacing tool is then removed.

A system and method are provided for spacing railcars of a train apart from each other with a predetermined gap in between. Embodiments include a railcar spacing tool having a hydraulic cylinder with brackets at opposing ends for contacting the frame of each of a pair of adjoined adjacent railcars to be spaced from each other, and a cylinder support frame attached to the cylinder and movably attached to a support vehicle such that the support frame is movable from a retracted position to an extended position where the brackets are between the frames of the pair of railcars. After moving the cylinder support frame to the extended position, the brackets are positioned in contact with the railcar frames, and the cylinder is engaged to create the predetermined gap between the railcars. The railcars' brakes are applied to preserve the gap, and the spacing tool is then removed.

A claw system for mechanical coupling a railcar mover to a railcar is disclosed herein. The claw assembly may comprise a set of arms and a set of claws each mounted on the interior side of one of the set of arms. When a railcar adjacent to a railcar mover on a set of tracks is positioned within a proximity of the railcar mover, the claw assembly may be utilized to grasp the air hose of the adjacent railcar. For example, the set of arms may be attached to the railcar mover via a motorized rail upon which the set of arms may be configured to move axially toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the tracks, thereby causing the claws to move toward each other and close around the air hose of the adjacent railcar. The claws may include openings configured to grasp the air hose.

A claw system for mechanical coupling a railcar mover to a railcar is disclosed herein. The claw assembly may comprise a set of arms and a set of claws each mounted on the interior side of one of the set of arms. When a railcar adjacent to a railcar mover on a set of tracks is positioned within a proximity of the railcar mover, the claw assembly may be utilized to grasp the air hose of the adjacent railcar. For example, the set of arms may be attached to the railcar mover via a motorized rail upon which the set of arms may be configured to move axially toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the tracks, thereby causing the claws to move toward each other and close around the air hose of the adjacent railcar. The claws may include openings configured to grasp the air hose.