WHY USE A CAR MOVER
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WHY USE A CAR MOVER?

Repositioning railcars in a rail-switching operation has always been a formidable task. Before the advent of the mobile railcar mover, large locomotives were often employed to move railcars. Locomotives were expensive, immobile (limited to track use) and over-powered for the situation. But, what are the real advantages to using a locomotive or a mobile rail car mover? Both a locomotive and a mobile rail car mover offer several advantages:
  • You do not need to wait for your connecting rail service provider to spot or move rail cars, which can save you thousands in railroad switching charges.
  • Moving rail cars for loading and unloading can provide significant cost savings by lowering railroad demurrage charges.
  • Moving a rail car with a Mobile Rail Car mover or locomotive is a safer alternative to tractors and other movers that are not in control of the railcar.
Mobile Rail Car Movers
Advantages
  • Mobile with the ability to move off and on the rail fast, because they not only have rail wheel technology, but also hi-rail road wheel technology
  • Easily transported to different locations
  • High Tractive Units available that can move over a dozen standard, modern freight cars
  • Easy to operate and maintain with one person
Important Items to Know
  • With weight transfer models (Rail King and Trackmobile) Tractive effort of a rail vehicle depends upon the weight transfer technology. Weight transfer is a simple technology whereby you increase the weight of the rail car mover by lifting a portion of the weight of the railcar you are moving onto the car mover.

  • Your track structure can effect the total capability of your rail car mover. This includes grades, curves, materials on the track and weather. A survey of railroad track before making a purchase is imperative to proper model selection.
Compare Trackmovers, Shuttlewagons and Rail Kings (PDF)
Locomotives
Advantages
  • The cost of purchasing a late model railroad locomotive is usually less than that of a mobile rail car mover.
  • Locomotives will usually provide adequate power and tractive effort for even the most complex car moving tasks.
Important Items to Know
  • Locomotives are immobile, and cannot be taken on and off the tracks easily.

  • Locomotives also require special rail yard design to allow them to move around cars or out of the way of connecting rail carriers.

    Older locomotives may not have readily available parts and may need remanufacturing.
Contact Us and we can help you with the proper model and selection.
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