Pumping New Life into the Rail and Tram Maintenance Industry

Overview

Clyde Materials Handling has used its technology, expertise and domain knowledge to power pioneering solutions globally across the rail and tram industries, and is recognised as one of the industrys leading sand handling providers.

Rail and tram operators, irrespective of their location in the world, are the subject of ever increasing commercial pressures for profitability, vehicle availability and reductions in operating costs, whilst ensuring complete passenger safety and appeasing the demands from regulators.

As operators strive to create services that meet these requirements, it is becoming evident that efficient maintenance processes and procedures are essential to meet these needs and ensure that disruptions are minimised.

The maintenance of vehicles often involves replenishing on-board sand boxes, which are used to improve vehicle traction in slippery / wet weather conditions and can act as an aid in braking from high speeds.

However, sand handling is a commonly recognised problem within the rail and tram industry due to the time absorbed in manually handling bags of sand to fill empty sand boxes, coupled with spillages and material waste that can impact on environmental and health and safety regulations.

To view our Sand Handling Solutions Brochure, click on the pdf link

Dense phase pneumatic conveying transfers
the sand at low velocity, minimising pipe wear
within the enclosed conveying pipe and
elminating dust and spillage.

Local dispensing points located along service
roadways provide the facility to fill the sand
boxes simultaneously on multiple roadways.

Each dispensing point transfers sand into the sand box
using a petrol pump style nozzle, very similar to filling a
car with fuel. The operator simply places the nozzle into
the sand box and opens the flow valve.

Sand is transferred under pressure with dust emission
eliminated by a simple exhaust system. When the sand box
is full, the action of the sand covering the nozzle outlet
automatically stops the sand flow.

The operator then closes the supply and returns the nozzle
back to the dispensing holster.

TYPICAL SAND FILLING PRACTICE

Sand filling systems installed to date include:

• Sheffield Supertram
• Nottingham Tram
• Deutsche Bahn
• Eurostar
• South Central Rail
• 2 systems for Rotterdam Electrische
  Tram,Holland