Railroad Cranes Dismantled Machines

About Railroad Cranes

Part of a broader category of specialized application cranes, railroad cranes have been in use since around the early 1900s. Over the decades, they’ve been used for handling freight, laying track, performing railway maintenance tasks, bridge construction, assisting in derailment and accident recovery, installing equipment, and other work performed in the vicinity of railroad tracks.

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Badger CD4430R Railroad Crane

Having progressed from steam-driven models to those using turbocharged diesel engines with hydraulic controls, current railroad cranes range in lifting capacity from less than 22.5 to 225 tonnes (25 to 250 U.S. tons), and are equipped with booms that can provide 30.5 metres (100 feet) or more of reach. Sometimes also referred to as “crane cars,” “wreckers,” “derricks,” and “breakdown cranes,” some railroad cranes include both rail wheels and standard wheels with tires, enabling them to travel on railroad tracks and on roadways for greater mobility and versatility.

Common Features

The basic configuration of railroad cranes often closely mimics that of mobile cranes; they frequently include a rotating crane mounted to a flat chassis, making them well-suited for working on either side of the tracks. Available in self-propelled and towable models, railroad cranes may feature fixed or telescopic booms, a flatcar (or idler), climate-controlled rollover protection system (ROPS)/falling object protection system (FOPS) cabs, counterweights, landing legs, a coupling gear, outriggers, traction motors, magnet packages, recovery winches, boom slider pads, and engine block heaters for operating in cold-weather conditions. Other features may include rearview cameras, in-dash monitors, sensors, and joystick controls. Some railroad cranes also possess the ability to function as a locomotive and pull other rail cars.

Find Railroad Cranes

You’ll find a number of new and used railroad cranes and other specialized application cranes for sale on CraneTrader.ca, including pile-driving cranes and harbor, marine, and barge cranes. Railroad crane manufacturers include Jackson, Holmes, Badger, Uromac, and others.