Model 6700S Production / Switch Tamper
Harsco Rail's Model 6700S is a squeeze-type tamper designed for switch/production tamping at moderate raises. Production rates of 22 ties per minute can be made using single insertions and a one to two-inch raise in clean, free-flowing ballast. The machine has the ability to make raises up to four inches in any type ballast.
Automatic clamping of either the base or ball of the rail produces superior performance in switches. The cab design allows excellent visibility during work and track travel modes. An advanced computer control system enables the operator to produce superior track quality.
The 6700S consists of a truss framework which supports the workheads and jackbeam; transfers the surfacing and lining forces to the rails at the front and rear of the machine, and eliminates the use of shoulder jacks, allowing the machine to work in tighter areas than is possible with a machine having shoulder jacks.
The workheads consist of eight tamping units mounted two per workhead carriage. Each tamping unit has two tamping tools attached to the underside of the vibrator mount. The workhead carriages can be operated independently if conditions require.
Each workhead is lowered to the proper tamping depth and the tamping tools are moved toward the tie so that maximum consolidation is achieved beneath the tie. Four hydraulic traverse cylinders control the traverse position of the workheads, enabling the machine to tamp switches and turnouts.
The 6700S is equipped with the versatile combo clamp. This single clamp lifts from the ball of the rail during production work and can lift as required from either the ball or base of the rail during switch tamping.
Jupiter 2000 is a distributed I/O system developed by Harsco Rail to meet the demanding control requirements of railway maintenance equipment. Performance superior to commercially available systems was needed in terms of ruggedness, reliability, speed simplicity and diagnostic capability.
The distributed I/O intelligent control system uses a Control Area Network (CAN) to communicate with modules distributed about the machine. An industrial network cable connects a series of I/O modules strategically positioned around a machine to be in close proximity to the devices with which they interact. Designed for exposure to harsh environmental conditions, these modules are fully potted to provide a high degree of vibration tolerance that allow direct mounting to almost any part of a machine.
The addition of Tie Sensor technology to a 6700S production / switch tamper results in a machine with intelligent automatic indexing, thereby increasing productivity while reducing operator fatigue. The marriage of probes designed to detect the location of either wood or concrete ties with a machine's previously existing automatic cycle allows for fully automatic work.
The operator is thus left free to focus on other issues such as making surfacing adjustments and safely observing the surrounding track and worksite, with only occasional input to a safety switch required to continue working.
Automatic tamping can be set-up to tamp every tie, every other tie or every third tie. The work rate is user adjustable and in comparison against otherwise identical machines has shown the capacity to increase machine speed by 1 to 2 ties per minute. Additionally, higher overall daily productivity is achieved by removing the impact of distractions that might otherwise require an operator to temporarily suspend tamping. Finally, a Tie Finding machine works straight through challenging conditions such as inclement weather or flooded ballast conditions that can reduce crosstie visibility.
Tie Finding can be added as a factory option or as a field kit to any Harsco Rail tamper featuring the Jupiter control system.