Bespoke Volvo for Railfreight Services
Stone handling and ballast logistics company Railfreight Services have taken delivery of their first Volvo excavator with bespoke modifications for loading and unloading ballast on a project for Network Rail.
The Volvo EC460BLC is equipped with a special 7.0m boom, 3.5m grab-arm and rotating 3m3 re-handling grab, giving the excavator the capacity to handle Type 1 material up to 1.7 tonnes/m3. The modified excavator also features a 2m hydraulically operated cab, maximizing views for the driver.
The vehicle has been specially designed so its geometry suits the purpose of unloading rail wagons, thanks to an additional underslung counterweight, two underslung grab-arm cylinders, a parrot’s beak end to the grab-arm and boom floatation to minimize the damage to the bottom of the hoppers as they are empted.
The modification work has transformed the EC460BLC into a reliable rehandling tool with an improved operating weight of 50 tonnes (standard operating weight is 46 tonnes). The machine is powered by a 12-litre engine that develops 321hp. An advanced mode control system ensures that maximum hydraulic power is delivered at a constant engine speed under varying load conditions.
