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2/12/2026
Compiled by Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
Railroads today expect ballast management equipment and services that deliver precision, productivity, safety and flexibility. They want solutions that minimize time on track, place ballast exactly where it’s needed and reduce risk to personnel, Herzog officials said in an email.
Increasingly, Class Is and regionals are seeking systems that integrate advanced technology, reduce manual labor and handle varied operational scenarios, such as curves, washouts, stockpiling and new construction, they said.
Herzog has responded by leaning into innovation and uptime reliability while keeping safety as a top priority. The company’s ballast distribution fleet remains the leading choice in North America thanks to a suite of specialized machines that meet today’s toughest railroad demands, Herzog officials said.
The company’s GPS Ballast Trains use automated, high-speed systems designed to unload ballast with pinpoint accuracy using preloaded profile data, which reduces the need for ground personnel and minimizes exposure to hazards such as silica dust. These systems operate efficiently in wet or dry conditions and can cover long distances quickly, Herzog officials said.
For high-volume or complex applications, the Automated Conveyor Trainsm provides the ability to unload large consists in curves up to 13 degrees with a single operator in a climate-controlled cab.
Other Herzog solutions, such as the Solar Ballast Cars, Multi-Purpose Machines and CarTopper® Material Handling services, offer versatility, enabling railroads to tailor ballast placement to job size and location while maintaining efficiency and safety, company officials said.
Herzog also aims to support customers with extensive research and development efforts and flexible leasing options to boost equipment uptime and ensure its technology evolves with industry needs.
By combining cutting-edge ballast placement technology with experienced operators, Herzog helps railroads improve maintenance outcomes, shorten track time and enhance overall operational safety, company officials said.
Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. recently developed a new vacuum excavator, the Loram Track Vac (LTV). The new machine takes a big step forward in the market with best-in-class excavating power, improved efficiency and a cab-forward design that keeps operators inside the cabin while the machine is working, Loram officials said.
The LTV maintains the manipulator reach and flexibility of the original LRV vacuum excavator, as well as material handling and traction system features that allow it to both tow new ballast to a worksite and take away the excavated (or waste) material. Vacuum excavation is necessary in locations where traditional ballast cleaning tools cannot work.
Excavating turnouts and crossings, tunnels, ballast deck bridges and other infrastructure can be performed faster, cleaner and safer than alternative methods, Loram officials said. The LTV also is well suited for resolving slow orders but excavating mud spots in mainline tracks.
Customers continue to demand speed and reliability for ballast management equipment, Loram officials said. Track times continue to be at a premium and ballast maintenance equipment needs to be ready to operate at peak performance whenever time on track is available, they added.
Loram continues to set the industry standard with 98% availability, ensuring that the full range of ballast delivery and maintenance equipment will be ready to work when customers call, company officials said.
Miner Enterprises’ AggreGate® line of ballast outlet gates, control systems and accessories are designed for both retrofit and new car fleets. The company’s solar-powered, stand-alone electric AggreGate addresses the industry’s need to bring more efficiency and flexibility to their maintenance-of-way operations, Miner officials said.
Bringing solar power to each rail car within a ballast train provides independent operation of every car, eliminating the need for grouping manual and automatic cars. The remote-control system enables individual car and gate selection.
Operators can effectively ballast inside, outside or both sides of the rail simultaneously, company officials said. Miner’s optional solar-powered lighting systems also help extend operational flexibility during MOW operations.
The dual cylinder air-powered AggreGate is also available in either push-button operation or remote control from distances as great as 300 feet.
The manual AggreGate is available for new or retrofit application for any open-top hopper car. Spring tension holds the large, guillotine door in position at any opening for controlled flow of ballast.
Miner AggreGates are the most specified ballast gates in the industry, company officials said. More than 7200 car sets have been sold into service since they first received AAR certification, they added.
Maintaining heavily used track and ensuring safe train operations depend on effective ballast maintenance. Clean, sufficient ballast is a critical resource for maintaining proper track geometry and long-term infrastructure performance.
Plasser American Corp. offers a comprehensive range of machines designed to distribute existing ballast across the network or recover the material after years of traffic, company officials said.
Plasser’s Ballast Distribution System (BDS-100) is engineered for efficient ballast management in a single pass. The machine is equipped with an onboard ballast hopper, four distribution conveyors, shoulder and X-type plows for accurate profiling, and two high-performance ballast brooms.
The “pick-up” broom collects excess ballast from the track and transfers it via conveyor into the BDS-100 hopper or into a Plasser MFS-type conveyor and hopper car, Plasser officials said.
When higher handling capacity is required, additional MFS units can be integrated into the consist. By completing all operations in one pass, the BDS-100 minimizes required track windows and maximizes productivity, Plasser officials said.
The system can operate as a standalone machine or work in conjunction with high-speed 09-3X or 2X DYNACAT tampers for final track dressing.
The PBR2005DB Ballast Profiling Machine also delivers one-pass plowing, profiling and brooming. Its shoulder plows extend beyond the reach of conventional ballast regulators, enabling operators to recover ballast that would otherwise remain inaccessible, Plasser officials said. The dual-broom configuration further enhances performance and finish quality, they added.
For ballast cleaning applications, the RM80 serves as a “proven workhorse,” capable of undercutting and cleaning both plain track and turnouts, Plasser officials said. For higher-capacity, double-screening requirements, the RM2003 and RM802 are available. Specialized shoulder ballast cleaning needs are addressed by the FRM802 and FRM85 systems.
Plasser’s machines are available via direct purchase or through turnkey contracting services. In addition, flexible service packages are available to operate and maintain customer-owned equipment, providing railroads with scalable solutions tailored to their operational needs, Plasser officials said.
Ballast maintenance remains one of the most critical — and challenging — responsibilities in railroading. Serving as the primary load-bearing component of the track structure, ballast quite literally supports the weight of the railroad industry, RCE Equipment Solutions officials said.
Most railroads adhere to scheduled surfacing programs that include ballast distribution, tamping and track alignment to maintain proper geometry and ride quality. However, when ballast becomes fouled due to drainage issues, material intrusion or unforeseen events, rapid corrective action is required to minimize service disruptions, RCE officials said.
The company’s RAILAVATOR offers an efficient means of restoring track conditions and returning revenue traffic to service at posted speeds with minimal downtime, they said. RCE manufactures undercutting attachments for nearly the entire range of RAILAVATOR platforms, allowing contaminated ballast to be removed quickly and effectively.
Once fouled material is extracted and clean ballast is placed, the same RAILAVATOR can be outfitted with an RCE tamping attachment to compact the ballast section and restore track geometry to original specifications, company officials said.
To meet the railroad industry’s wide-ranging maintenance needs, RCE offers undercutters and tampers across its full lineup of hi-rail excavators, ranging from the compact 75- and 85-series RAILAVATORs to the larger 350 model.
The smaller machines provide rapid mobilization and are well suited for targeted or time-sensitive maintenance activities, while the 350 RAILAVATOR — equipped with a 14-foot RCE undercutter and a full tie-width RCE double tamping head — is designed to address large-scale rehabilitation projects efficiently, company officials said.
Regardless of the scope of work, RCE offers versatile tools designed to return track to service quickly and reliably, they added.
RELAM (Railway Equipment Leasing and Maintenance) offers strategically positioned repair facilities across North America and a wide selection of production and maintenance track equipment and hi-rail vehicles for lease, company officials said. RELAM offers affordable, late-model machines, reducing transportation costs and ensuring quick access to essential assets, they said.
Northern customers have requested RELAM ballast regulators from Knox Kershaw, Kershaw and Nordco that double as snow fighters, keeping tracks clear in any weather and increasing asset utilization.
RELAM’s inventory includes Knox Kershaw series 860, 925 and 940, Kershaw 46 Series, 4600 and the Nordco M7, available year-round. RELAM also supplies new, rebuilt and remanufactured Harsco tampers (6700, Mark IV) and track stabilizers (Harsco TS-30 HD, Plasser PTS90C).
Reliable field service and parts support is a necessity, company officials said. Fast responses to maintenance issues, on-site diagnostics and strong technical assistance help minimize downtime and maintain peak performance, they said.
RELAM also offers a skilled, responsive field service team and an expansive inventory of parts, components and assemblies for sale for leased or owned equipment. This allows railroads and contractors to concentrate on their core operations while the supplier efficiently manages technical challenges, company officials said.