PWP gantries transportation methods
The system of unloading and installation of rail permanent way elements is adjusted to meet the customer’s needs to the maximum extent possible, in part thanks to the versatility of transportation methods. Gantry and material handling modules can be moved by rail and road transport. Flexibility offered by this technology also expands the possibilities of using it in hard-to-reach areas and where there is no track for the cranes to move on. Moreover, the use of road transport also opens up opportunities for the system to be used outside of railways – for example, during the construction of tram permanent way. This innovative approach to tram infrastructure construction technology was used by KZN Rail during the November (2022) development of the Poznań Fast Tram track system. PWP gantries arrived in Poznań by road transport and unloaded themselves on site.
Self-unloading of PWP gantries
An important advantage of PWP gantries are their self-loading and self-unloading capabilities. Therefore, there is no need to engage additional heavy machinery for this operation. The system is equipped with self-propelled two-way carts that can move freely on a ballasted or other paved subgrade. This allows it to slide, inch forward, backward and sideways all on its own, which makes it stand out for its high mobility, even where tracks are not available. This, however, is not the only advantage of PWP gantries. Another advantage over other technologies is rapid mobilization: the aforementioned flexibility of machine transportation methods.
PWP gantries transportation: by rail or by road?
There is no denying that the anticipated transportation cost is an important factor in choosing the technology transportation method. Rail transport, when gantries are attached to a pre-planned main trainset, is still the most cost-efficient option. The only cost in this case is that of renting platform wagons for transportation. Taking the above conditions into account, compared to road transport, rail is more expedient than car transport. The following table illustrates the percentage by which the price of road transport increases relative to rail transport when the above conditions are taken into account.
However, the situation is different if we take individual rail transport into account, compared to road transport, i.e. as part of which a trainset is prepared solely for the purpose of transporting gantries. The price of road transport compared to individual rail transport decreases significantly, as shown in the next table:
This variety of technology transportation methods significantly increases the availability of the system by reducing the time it takes to reach its destination. Gantries can also be used for special mobilization when components have already been unloaded and need to be transported to the final erection site. Turnout parts can also be assembled near the work area and safely transported by gantries to their destination.