Railroads have brought a lot of innovation and technology into the world, and modern railroads continue to do so.
Modern railroads use many pieces of sophisticated equipment to make them work efficiently. We’ll discuss some railroad equipment and the role it fulfills here.
Boxcars
Boxcars are the bread and butter of the railroad industry. Boxcars, first implemented in the 1830s, are affixed to freight trains transporting various materials.
Specific types of cargo, including canned goods, paper, and automobile components, are transported by boxcars.
Limit Switches
Limit switches are electrical devices that shut down equipment within the train when it reaches its destination. This prevents excessive energy use.
The best type of limit switch depends on the situation, as most are specialized. A rotary limit switch, for instance, was designed to handle heavy machinery, while a whisker-encased switch handles more delicate materials.
Rail Grinders
One of the critical pieces of track equipment is the rail grinder. Approximately 1300 trains per day pass through the Chicago area alone, so the US rail system undergoes a fair amount of strain. With that much use, railways and the trains that run on them will wear down.
This is where rail grinders come in. Rail grinders keep a rail track from becoming dull and unreliable by scraping away a small layer from the top of the tracks. This gives the track a new, more precise surface that trains can traverse without issue.
Grooved Rail
What happens if a train has to pass through a city? Most of the time, cities have rail grooves, allowing for travel on paved surfaces. These grooves were designed so that a train’s movement on public roads was more stable and didn’t disturb motorists.
They also made it so cars wouldn’t get caught in train tracks while driving. Unfortunately, rail grooves are a very complex and somewhat inefficient train part, so few companies supply them.
Ballast Regulator
Perhaps the rails themselves are fine, but you’re worried that the material below them is unsteady. This can be prevented with a ballast regulator. A ballast regulator distributes the ballast beneath the track to prevent trackbed degradation.
This keeps the track itself from sinking into the ground. This stops the train’s wheels from getting clogged with debris and risking damage or derailment.
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Hydraulic disc brakes are a mechanism that stops the train by activating a clamp on the wheels to keep them from turning. Anybody who’s owned a bicycle has seen this brake on a smaller scale.
Railroad Equipment and Its Uses
Railroad equipment constantly evolves, and we’ve discussed just a few railroad innovations here. You can learn more by reading our blog.
We are a proud supplier of rail parts and products. While reading our blog, feel free to review our parts list or contact us if you need a part. We can provide a quote so you know the price before buying.