USA: Union Pacific’s Denver workshop has completed work on the first of 32 Plasser American 09-16 Dynacat continuous action tampers which are to be rebuilt to be more user-friendly, enhance safety and simplify repairs.
Casey Prewitt, Senior Manager, Maintenance of Way Shop, said this was the first time a Dynacat had been rebuilt outside Plasser American’s site in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Changes included a redesigned cab to ease access, enhance visibility and improve air flow; relocation of valves, hoses, manifolds, electrical panels and pumps for easier maintenance; and replacement of the manually operated extension bar with a hydraulic telescoping boom for greater manoeuvrability.
Union Pacific’s Engineering team worked with operators and mechanics and Plasser American engineers over a three-year period to reconfigure the tamper.
Plasser supplied a rebuild kit containing more than 3 000 parts. The project team used 3D-imaging tools to create ‘before and after’ engineered drawings and understand part placement.