GEAPS Exchange Expo 2023
Kansas City, Missouri
February 25-28, 2023
Dry Cargo Magazine: Rail Projects Supported by High Quality Equipment (page 54)
New Phosphate Ore Rotary Railcar Dumper & Positioning System
Heyl & Patterson has recently been awarded an engineering contract for an up and coming phosphate ore operation. The project will consist of a new rotary railcar dumper, along with a rack & pinion railcar positioning system. The new railcar dumper will utilize an ‘end-ring out’ design, with a hydraulic cylinder clamp system, powered by an off-board hydraulic power unit. The new positioning system will accommodate strings of 130+ railcars and allow for the movement of railcars in both forward and backward direction, acting as either an entry or an exit end indexer. The unit train will always be under the control of the indexer arm or entry/exit end chocks. The indexer will be interlocked with the entry/exit end railcar holding chock to ensure immobilization of the train during offloading. For further improvement to the unloading process, Heyl & Patterson will incorporate a railcar vibrator, that will contact the bottom railcar sill during the dump cycle, aiding in the removal of sticky material in the car pockets, along supports and on the railcar sides. This project’s design phase will be completed in Fall 2020. Stay tuned for more updates on Heyl & Patterson’s material handling developments.
Vancouver Rotary Railcar Dumper Replacement
Heyl & Patterson is currently working with an export terminal in Vancouver, British Columbia to replace an existing rotary railcar dumper. Originally installed in 1969, the dumper had surpassed its useful life. This exporter is looking to make improvements to the terminal, that will increase capacity, allowing them to transfer 30 million tonnes – all while maintaining the same footprint. Heyl & Patterson has engineered a rotary railcar dumper that will allow for a dump cycle time of thirty-eight 38 seconds.