Railcar Unloading Systems

Heyl & Patterson offers a wide range of customizable unloading systems built for efficiency and capability. The railcar unloading system is a crucial piece of equipment for many businesses, equipped with the latest features and can handle any material, even when clumped or frozen.

Heyl & Patterson’s solutions simplify work processes, save time and money, and create a safer work environment. With Heyl & Patterson’s Railcar Unloading Systems you get an intelligent design in a cost-effective, all-purpose workhorse customized for you.

To get the most out of our machines, understanding how they operate, their benefits, and where they are used can help create the most efficient system tailored to your business.

Railcar unloading system overview

The purpose of a bulk material handling system is to deliver and supply bulk materials to processes in manufacturing plants, according to Processing Magazine.

A railcar unloader is a piece of equipment used to unload railcars quickly and efficiently. The system can be customized to meet your business’s specific needs and handle various materials.

How the railcar unloading system works

About Mechanics states that the field of bulk material transportation is about designing systems that will help move, process, and package bulk materials like ores, grain, etc., using machinery such as heavy equipment.

Railcar unloading systems are a type of bulk material handling system used to unload railcars quickly and efficiently in various environments. H&P combines robust design and easy-to-erect components with innovative, customizable upgrade options, such as mechanical and hydraulic car clamps, chain or rack and pinion drives with variable frequency drives.

Our railcar unloading system is a rotary system that turns the railcar 180 degrees before emptying its contents into a pit. With cycle times as fast as 45 seconds per car and 10,000 plus tons per hour, Heyl & Patterson’s Rotary Car Dumper can be controlled by one operator and is ideal for either random car (no rotary couplers) or unit train (with rotary couplers) applications. Rotary dumpers can be installed in series, typically tandem and up to four barrels, increasing throughput even more.

Advantages of the railcar unloading system

There are many benefits of using an unloading system, including:

Increased efficiency
Reduced labor costs
Customizable to meet your specific needs
Can handle a variety of materials

Britannica states that new advances in bulk railcar unloading helps to keep materials together while reducing the amount of handling throughout the supply chain, saving money and increasing efficiency.

Applications of the railcar unloading system

The railcar loading and unloading system can be used in different industries, including:

Manufacturing
Mining
Logistics
Transportation

When it comes to unloading railcars, we’re the experts

Heyl & Patterson is here to make your business run smooth. Here at H&P, we have various customizable solutions designed for efficiency in order to handle any type of material.

Railcar Unloading System

Heyl & Patterson Railcar Dumpers (known as wagon tipplers in some parts of the world) are equipped with state-of-the-art capabilities and built-in flexibility, for efficient railcar unloading. Customizable options are available, such as an NTEP Certified* weigh scale, a hammermill that clears clumped or frozen material, and single and tandem barrel dumpers. Heyl & Patterson’s Railcar Dumper Unloading Systems will keep your business flowing with efficiency.

*NTEP (National Type Evaluation Program) is a strict product certification standard administered by the National Conference on Weights and Measures, and is the process for testing and evaluation of weighing equipment.

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Rotary Railcar Dumpers

When looking for the best in rail unloading equipment, look no further than Heyl & Patterson’s Rotary Railcar Dumper. With high speed, semi-automatic dumping –- plus cycle times as fast as 35 seconds per car, and a dumping rate of 10,000 tons per hour in a tandem configuration – it’s the ideal choice for dumping of rotary-coupled cars. Control is made simple with just one operator and is ideal for random car or unit train applications.

Turnover Railcar Dumpers

When site conditions call for flexibility in construction, think Heyl & Patterson’s Turnover Dumper or Wagon Tippler. Ideal for a combination of shallow foundations and track-level receiving hoppers, the turnover dumper is designed for low to moderate throughput applications – offering you lower overall construction costs. The Turnover Dumper is also perfect when construction schedules call for quick installation due to accelerated construction schedules.

C-Shaped Railcar Dumpers

When your operations need to off-load random, rotary and non-rotary coupled cars, you need Heyl & Patterson’s high-speed, C-Shaped Rotary Railcar Dumper, or “CR” Dumper. Able to operate at low power and combined with fast cycle times and full positioned access, the CR Dumper can help you achieve maximum productivity with maximum results.

Project Spotlight: Hybrid Rotary/Bottom Discharge Railcar Unloading System

In 2020, Heyl and Patterson completed a turnkey railcar unloading system in Convent, Louisiana. The project scope included the demolition of an existing pit bridge as well as the installation of a new hybrid bottom/rotary railcar dumper. In September of 2019, engineering began, and 301 days later, the machine was shipped and delivered successfully. Turnkey installation started soon after, the outage was scheduled for two weeks, took 10 days (ahead of schedule).

This unique railcar unloading system was custom designed based on a 286,000-pound gross load. This specific design allows the dumper to unload 36 cars per hour, holding free-flowing coal and pet coke, with a take-away conveyor capacity of 4500 tons per hour.

Railcar unloading system overview

How the railcar unloading system works

Advantages of the railcar unloading system

Applications of the railcar unloading system

When it comes to unloading railcars, we’re the experts