Installing Prefarails in Paris - 2 - Lifting

Prefarail (Prefab rails) is a prefabricated solution for the renewal of tram tracks. The tracks are being delivered as a complete unit where the tracks are already pored into the concrete. They are being installed with cranes. It is delivered by the belgium company Prefarails s.a.

In St. Denis, a suburban area of Paris, a part of the railway network was renewed. Here we see a DAF 95XF380 4x2 of Van Egdom with a extendable 3-axled trailer that is delivering a piece of track.

The trailer is being parked as close as possible to the first crane truck.

After that the trailer is being picked up by the 2nd crane truck. This is done to get as close as possible to the load. That is necessary as this piece of track weighs about 30 tons.

Both cranes are hooked to the load and are supported correctly, the lifting can start. The own weight of the plate makes it bend into a curve.

Here we have a better view on the 180000 in action. The front outriggers of this crane can reach a maximum width of about 12 meters.

And the lift from the other side.

And the track is on it’s place. Because these crane don’t need much height, the powerlines can stay where they are during the lifting. It can also be seen here that the road didn’t had to be blocked because of the activities, another truck is even able to pass the job.

From this side we see that these kind of cranes can lift heavy loads with using only the necessary support legs. The front outrigger at this side isn’t used because it interfere with the rest of the traffic. It isn’t necessary either as the crane is lifting over the other side of the truck. Both trucks are supported the same way and therefore they only need one lane of this road.

The 2nd track that was lifted was a lighter one, the trailer wasn’t coupled this time.

The 3rd lift that I could photograph was unfortunatelly in the rain, but it was the only one where both trucks where free of the bushes. It was also a 30 ton weighing piece of track.

Here we see that the dieseltank of the tractor has been mounted on this side. The oiltank stands in front of the crane, above the outriggers.

On this picture the advantage of the construction of this crane is clearly visible. Despite the load of 15 tons at the hook, you don’t see any torsion in the sideway direction (rotation of the boom). The weight of the load only causes a slight bending of the boom in horizontal direction.

 

Many thanks to the drivers of both trucks an to the company P. van Egdom

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