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11/13/2025
Compiled by Michael Popke
When integrated with the Brandt R5 Power Unit, the OTM Tracker seamlessly transitions from the highway transport deck to the top-of-rail maintenance cars within minutes, Brandt Road Rail officials said in an email. The machine then moves between cars to manage track maintenance materials and perform maintenance-of-way (MOW) tasks. Its purpose-built walking beam undercarriage, boom and arm deliver performance for a wide range of material-handling tasks, company officials said.
Equipped with eight clamps, a detachable remote control and cameras, the OTM Tracker is designed to safely minimize risk and downtime, while the grapple and magnet offer versatility when distributing ties or picking up plates and spikes. The OTM Tracker is built with John Deere components.
Featuring a John Deere excavator cab and base, the OTM Tracker has a reduced 5-foot tail swing radius to minimize the risk of fouling adjacent tracks, company officials said. The remote-controlled transfer system keeps operators on the ground during transfers; the OTM Tracker also climbs gondolas up to 12-and-a-half feet and handles 16-inch height differences between cars. It can distribute up to 2,000 ties per hour.
Demand for longer length rail “has stayed strong over the past several years and continues to grow with increased federal funding,” L.B. Foster Co. officials said. The company owns and operates a modern fleet of trains to ship 320-foot rail or 1,600-foot continuous-welded rail (CWR) to railroads and transit agencies throughout North America. To meet customer needs, L.B. Foster also recently added a new 1,600-foot CWR train to its fleet.?
For track replacement and expansion work, railroads and transit agencies remain committed to transitioning from the use of stick rail — or individual pieces of rail that require joints — to welded or ribbon rail, company officials said. Welded rail results in a safer, smoother track that requires less maintenance, they added.??
As railroads and transit agencies continue to outsource more functions, including offloading rail, L.B. Foster plans to continue offering a range of services, including project management and unloading supervision on every CWR train. When requested, the company also can furnish full unload crews and equipment to help reduce unloading times to as short as one day, L.B. Foster officials said.
GateSync 2 is the latest iteration of Loram’s GateSync/Solaris family of products, offering improved performance for customers’ existing ballast fleets or new-build ballast cars, company officials said. GateSync 2 software operates remote-controlled gates on ballast cars, allowing customers to upgrade their existing ballast fleets to remote control operations. The software is designed to reduce track time and boots in the ballast, and optimize ballast delivery, company officials said.
Pre-dump surveys are loaded into GateSync 2, synchronizing the opening and closing of gates to place ballast where needed while avoiding dumping switches, crossings and other “no dump” zones.
As customers seek to operate longer trains, Loram offers an update to existing kits and incorporates improvement on future kit sales with GateSync 2. The aim: to provide flexibility for customers’ ballast fleet with the ability to control consists of two to 100 cars, supporting MOW work across systems, company officials said.
GateSync 2 also leverages self-forming, self-healing mesh network technology to improve communication and connectivity, and provides two-way communications, computer-car-computer, adding real-time diagnostics from the car to the software control panel or the remote control.
EMI protection is incorporated into the system; EMI shielding protects signals from being disrupted by external electromagnetic signals and prevents generated signals from interfering with surrounding components. A new proprietary remote control drives cost savings over other remote-control systems, while allowing precision ballast delivery at 10 mph, company officials said.
GateSync 2 upgrades are easily installed by Loram field employees while cars remain online and without the need for sending cars to shops. New installations are quickly accomplished at virtually any car shop, company officials said.
Omaha Track offers customized solutions that support the full lifecycle of railroad projects, including material handling equipment and services. The company’s fleet is built for versatility, performance and safety; and its in-house engineering capabilities allow for the design, modification and upfitting of equipment to meet demanding job requirements, company officials said.
One of the latest additions to the Omaha Track fleet is the Liebherr A 924 Rail, a powerful, adaptable machine designed for rail environments. Its dual-mode capability allows it to operate both on and off track, making it ideal for maintenance, construction and material placement, company officials said. With cutting-edge hydraulics, advanced safety technology and lifting power, the A 924 Rail enhances Omaha Track’s ability to serve customers while reducing downtime and increasing productivity across complex rail operations, they said.
Omaha Track also provides comprehensive material handling services across North America. Crews are trained and certified to handle a range of projects, from tie and rail removal to material distribution, loading, cleanup and logistics support. The company works with Class Is, contractors and industrial partners to deliver safe, reliable results on time and within scope, Omaha Track officials said.
RCE Equipment Solutions designs machines that keep rail operations moving efficiently and safely, whether customers handle bulk materials, ties or OTM, company officials said.
Each of RCE’s full-size Railavators is compatible with the company’s side dump cart, flat utility cart or gondola cart. Each cart is built with hydraulic fail-safe braking that integrates seamlessly with the Railavator brake system, ensuring control even on steep grades, company officials said.
For ballast stone or spoils, RCE’s side dump cart features 180-degree bi-directional dumping, a 20-ton capacity and wireless pendant control for ease of operation.
For tie change-outs, the RCE 85 Tie Crane is engineered for productivity and operator comfort. Featuring a 25% larger cab, increased horsepower and a high-torque drive system, the 85 delivers power and precision, company officials said. It can be equipped with a single tie handler and tie cart for efficient tie distribution, or a 9kW generator and 30-inch magnet for OTM pickup.
For maximum power and reach, RCE’s mid- to large-size Railavator models can be outfitted with a tilt-rotator and high-capacity grapples with openings over 90 inches.
For more than 50 years, Shuttlewagon has specialized in mobile rail-car movers engineered to maximize material handling productivity within a rail yard. Shuttlewagon’s quick deployment and minimal infrastructure requirements make it suited for ports, manufacturing facilities, aggregate and mining sites, food processing facilities, grain industries and short lines, company officials said.
Shuttlewagon also offers lower capital investment compared with traditional shunting locomotives, reduced fuel consumption and enhanced safety features, they said.
With a variety of diesel and electric options offering different tractive effort capabilities, the machines can be adapted to a range of applications. The rubber-tire drive platform provides traction and control, enabling easy maneuvering around rail yards and swift transitions between road and rail modes, company officials said.
The machines feature industry-standard AAR-style couplers that don’t rely on weight-transfer, ensuring consistent pulling capacity, even when coupled to empty rail cars.
A suite of options is available to enhance performance, safety and operator comfort. Supported by a network of North American dealers, Shuttlewagon offers new and used machines, rentals, maintenance and aftermarket parts.
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