In the rail industry, wheeled excavators are most commonly used for classic earthmoving work.
The mobility of such wheeled machines is a great advantage over those with tracked undercarriages as they are not restricted from hard stand areas of concrete and asphalt.
Across Australia, Liebherr’s A 922 and A 924 Rail Litronic excavators are employed in various rail infrastructure building and maintenance jobs.
The 120 kW/163 HP engine of the A 922 Rail Litronic ensures it achieves high working speeds with the Litronic’s renowned fluid equipment movement.
The A 922 Rail is suitable for use on railway tracks and for road construction, and is fast thanks to the mobile undercarriage.
The innovative hydraulic concept of the model consists of a Liebherr variable displacement double pump with independent control circuits.
High-performance, hydraulic attachments can thus be operated independently of the working and travel movements of the railroad excavator.
The heavy ballast was also redesigned to yield the best bearing load values with improved weight distribution and a more compact rear dimension of 2000mm.
The A 922’s unique double cab featuring standard rollover protective structure (ROPS) and a modern interior design offers the best conditions for comfortable, productive and safe operation. To improve productivity by up to 30 per cent, the rail road excavators can be fitted with a fully hydraulic quick coupling system developed by Liebherr.
The A 924 Rail Litronic model combines strong performance with a high level of economy.
Running on a 120kW/163HP at 1900rpm machine engine, it delivers higher working speeds and smooth operation.
The powerful D924 diesel engine is environmentally friendly thanks to its reduced fuel consumption and emissions.
Combining power and dynamic properties, this all-rounder machine is the efficient solution for safe use on all rail projects as well as construction sites which require stable power, strength, and precision to deliver higher productivity and mobile flexibility.
Both the A 922 and A 924 are designed with the operator in mind. The double cab provides user friendliness and comfort, with vision of the working area supported by a generous use of glass as well as rear and side cameras as standard and ensuring safe operation at all times.
The touchscreen colour display as well as the other control elements on the console and the comfort operator’s seat are ideally and ergonomically coordinated with each other, forming a perfect unit. The service-oriented design of the Liebherr excavators guarantees short maintenance times and minimises the associated costs.
CASE STUDY
The excavators play a big part in works run by the Anric Group, an acknowledged industry leader in Hi Rail technology, rail construction, civil works and plant hire.
With projects across NSW, the business has been delivering cost-efficient and innovative civil and rail business practices for more than 40 years.
As Anric Group operations manager Anthony Spinozzi tells Rail Express, the only way to deliver superior results is through providing clients with international best practices combined with a reputable, driven and highly skilled team, backed by the best equipment.
And that includes the Liebherr rail excavators.
“We’re involved in a lot of maintenance works and construction projects, and we deliberately chose those machines for their efficiency and turnkey capabilities,” he said.
“The machines have many strong performance features in them apart from just lifting and handling. Traditionally a rail machine in Australia is piecemealed together, so that means users would have to purchase an OEM standard vehicle, and then have them accessorised, for example going to a specialist to bolt on or fabricate the rail gear for that vehicle.
“And there are several other things to get done to a vehicle. The Liebherr rail-specific machines have everything on them already.”
Spinozzi said that also meant users were only dealing with one company if there were any problems or issues.
Anric bought the first Liebherr machine around 2018, and was so impressed it acquired a second one six months later. Now the fleet has expanded to six, all being used on a weekly basis on various projects around Sydney.
This includes carrying out work for Systems Connect, an unincorporated joint venture between CIMIC companies CPB Contractors and UGL Engineering, as well as the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro project, aimed at converting the 13.5km T3 line to metro standard.
The group has also been contracted to build the line-wide work to convert excavated tunnels into a working railway for Sydney Metro City & Southwest.
Spinozzi said the company was more than satisfied with the actual performance of the Liebherr rail excavators.
“The excavating power is exceptional, the lifting system is smooth and runs well, as does the console computer system,” he said. “For example, it’s quite fast in recognising and calculating excavation numbers and putting the weights in so that the operator can tell quickly what’s happening to the machine and how much he’s got on it.
“Characteristics like the orientation of the machine is all on the screen for display, so you can definitely accurately see what position it’s in, making it safer for lifting purposes. They’re also inexpensive compared to other products in the market that do the same thing.”
In essence, Spinozzi said the Liebherr rail excavators were well put together machines with minimal problems.
For more information, visit www.liebherr.com.au
