Rail Boom Lifts: Applications You Didn’t Know About
When it comes to railway maintenance, rail boom lifts are the ultimate champions. These powerful performers can do everything. We mean everything. Sure, they make catenary repairs easy, efficient, and cost-effective, but their usefulness extends far beyond regular railway maintenance work. Their versatility, combined with their rugged design, dual-mode capability and precise deployment, makes them the perfect choice for a wide variety of specialized rail projects.
In this blog, we will show you how you can use your rail boom lifts to perform 5 on and off-rail jobs you never thought about.
Innovative Uses Of Rail Boom Lifts
1. Paint and coat rail bridges
The challenge lies in coating the underside of bridges and other elevated areas without disrupting everyday rail traffic. The easy fix to this challenge is to use rail boom lifts for painting jobs. When you think about it, scaffolds are the real culprit behind such disruptions. But with rail lifts, all you have to do is position them right under the bridge and on the tracks, so it takes up minimal space. Furthermore, since the lift itself as well as its basket are easy to maneuver, you can cover a lot more ground a lot faster.
Best practices to follow:
- Setting up a containment area to avoid overspraying
- Keeping tabs on rail occupancy by coordinating with operators
- Using insulated baskets to maintain maximum safety
2. Ice removal
Winter means snow and ice everywhere. Deposits of ice and snow on overhead lines, rails as well as switch points not only halt operations but can also pose a major safety risk. They can significantly increase the likelihood of accidents, which makes it necessary to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
A rail boom lift can help your team de-ice overhead areas with ease. By offering them stable access to affected zones at a height, your crew can safely use steam jets to thaw out ice without worrying about accidental slips.
Best practice to follow:
- Monitoring real-time weather so work can be paused before conditions worsen
- Making sure connected hoses and baskets are secure and easily accessible
- Training operators on safety measures to take during cold weather
- Using anti-freeze techniques to keep equipment in working condition
3. Upgrade lighting and electricals in tunnels
As far as restrictive places go, tunnels are hard to beat. Confined in nature and offering limited access, lighting and power, working in tunnels with scaffolds can be a nightmare. However, you can turn it into an easy ride by using mini boom lifts.
Equipped with articulate booms and featuring a narrow footprint, these machines allow you to access the deepest parts of a tunnel without affecting rail lines. This, in turn, makes it easy to install LED lights, service panels and running cables.
Best practices to follow:
- Ensuring your lifts are equipped with explosion-proof lighting, just in case
- Keeping cordless tools and power generators on board to prevent unexpected stalling
4. Install trackside CCTVs and sensors
Installation of surveillance systems and security sensors next to active railway lines is fraught with challenges such as accessibility and safety. However, rail boom lifts with their stable outriggers and extendable arms guarantee minimal drift as you use them to reach installation spots in and around railway lines.
Best practices to follow:
- Using insulated baskets to prevent grounding
- Pre-charging tools and securing them carefully to keep delays at bay
- Coordinating with trackside operators for safety
5. Mount wildlife cameras
Finally, ecological studies require the mounting of wildlife cameras on elevated areas along railway tracks to monitor wildlife movement. With the precise height control and reach of mini boom lifts, you can easily position cameras without disturbing the surroundings.
Best practices to follow:
- Pre-mapping ground conditions and access routes
- Using mats on the ground to protect local habitat
- Preventing wildlife interference with telescopic booms
Conclusion
Rail boom lifts are not just about maintenance. Their flexibility allows for innovative uses that can make your job much easier. Especially if you rely on Platform Basket Canada’s advanced models. Designed to give the reach, precision and adaptability you need to handle any project, our machines can turn de-icing, tunnel upgrades and more into a cakewalk. Contact us to see our specialized rail boom lifts in action.
