Infrastructure and development group Aveng subsidiary Aveng Rail has bought a 20 t Hyundai wheeled excavator from earthmoving equipment distributor High Power Equipment Africa (HPE Africa), which will be used in the construction of about 60 km of rail track, near the coal-fired Majuba power station, in Mpumalanga.

The new section of rail track forms part of a two-year construction project that will improve the efficiency of coal transportation to the power plant. The additional railroad will replace the current transport of coal by road to the plant and will serve as an alternate route of the coal export line. Majuba is currently State-owned power utility Eskom’s only plant operating a train tippler system.

“Aveng Rail is setting a new trend in local rail track construction, by laying sleepers using a rubber-wheeled excavator,” says HPE Africa MD Alex Ackron, who believes that this is an exciting development for the local railway sector.

Ackron explains that a conventional gantry system and manual labour are normally used to lift and position heavy sleepers. With this conventional method, about 200 sleepers can be placed a day.

“However, by using the high-performance Hyundai wheeled excavator, it is expected that up to 1 000 correctly spaced railway sleepers will be positioned in an eight-hour shift,” Ackron says.

HPE Africa is the exclusive distributor in South Africa for Hyundai earthmoving equipment.

HPE Africa’s technical team fitted the Hyundai R210W excavator with a tilt rotor attachment, called the Engcon E226, and has specially modified an Octopus grapple to be able handle the 2-m-long sleepers that are standard in the local railways sector.

Ackron further notes that various attachments will improve the versatility of tasks handled by the excavator. Buckets, grader blades, ploughs, a hydraulic brush box, a vacuum system, forks and a rail clamp, can be changed out within seconds, owing to the quick hitch tilt rotator fitted to the excavator.

Meanwhile, additional hydraulic valves operated from the driver chair will enable the operator to manipulate the hydraulic functions of the attachments as required.

Ackron further suggests that the methodology of laying out sleepers on a new rail formation enables long welded rail of 240 m lengths to be offloaded from a rail train directly onto the sleepers, which, in turn, advances laid track at a rapid rate.

Key features of the excavator include a heavy-duty carrier frame with two-speed powershift transmission and ground line access to components for convenient maintenance, as well as a Tier 3 fuel-efficient engine. Additionally, an advanced hydraulic system ensures smooth performance and easy control.

Moreover, a computer-aided power optimisation system ensures the optimum level of power and hydraulic flow for every application. “The operator is able to select preferences for boom or swing priority, power mode and optional work tools,” Ackron explains, adding that the operator cab has been designed for improved visibility and enhanced comfort.

HPE works closely with a broad customer base to modify equipment, when necessary, to meet exact performance requirements. Stringent field tests ensure every machine conforms to stringent quality and safety specifications and meets exact application requirements.

Aveng Rail, specialists in rail construction and mechanised rail maintenance, is a significant contributor to the railroad network that links South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique. The company is expanding operations into other parts of Africa, in Australia and in South-East Asia.