Markets We Serve - Railroad
Reading Truck Body Helps Norfolk Railroad Stay on Track
Company Name: Norfolk Railroad
Reading Products: Reading Custom Service Bodies
Type of Service: Track Maintenance
Ever hear someone say “you gotta see it to believe it”? In the case of Norfolk Railroad, the Reading custom bodies that they have added to their maintenance fleet, fall into the “see it to believe it” category.
Norfolk needed a body that could operate on the rails and on the road. Reading specially designed these units so that all of the materials the track welders needed to access were in the rear of the truck. The units are outfitted to the maximum with equipment to do plenty of track related welding.
According Lee Meadows, Division Engineer, “The driving force is being able to do work from the rear of the truck while on the track. The ergonomics and injury reduction were the biggest factors.” The safety factor that Meadows refers to is in regards to the workers being able to exit and enter the back of the body safely on the steps that Reading built.
“We have a 3-point contact rule,” said Meadows, “which is either 2 hands and 1 foot or 2 feet with 1 hand. Steps are very beneficial for this rule.” Before they had units with steps, Meadows added, people might fall out of the vehicles and wind up injured.
While the steps are helping protect Norfolk welders from injury, the powder coat paint that the bodies are coated with, are helping protect the truck bodies themselves. This powder coat paint process is an exclusive Reading option. High voltage state of the art spray equipment adheres fine polyester particles to every surface. The end result is a smooth and durable white finish allowing the body to withstand high levels of corrosion protection to salt, chemicals, humidity, scratching, and impact, far surpassing conventional paint top coats.
“We wanted a body where the paint process was not an issue,” said Meadows. “Quality issues were a big factor in choosing Reading.”
These units are serving approximately 150-200 miles of track. They are equipped with an array of equipment that the welders require, including a set of hydraulic wheels underneath the chassis that go up and down, allowing the truck to move on the rails. The body is also outfitted with a Miller 40D welder, hose reels for hydraulic tools, welding leads, burning gas hoses, and a 110 volt circuit extension cord.
The units were purchased through Reading Equipment and Distribution, an authorized Reading distributor, in Bowmansville, PA.
Standard features include construction of two-sided A60 galvannealed steel and acrylic e-coat immersion priming for complete rust protection. Other standard features include automotive-quality rotary locks for secure protection of tools and equipment; stainless steel bolt-on hinges keeping the compartment doors operating smoothly in all weather conditions; and double paneled compartment doors offering greater durability.