The Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced that freight railroads will be investing an estimated $24.5 million into a major freight railroad revitalization plan in 2013 according to Material Handling Wholesaler magazine’s March issue. This comprehensive plan includes building, maintaining and upgrading America’s rail network to ensure that freight railroads continue to contribute to the nation’s economy. This investment in America’s freight railroads is significant for everyone selling material handling equipment, since literally every product moved from boxcar to dock or dock to boxcar needs a rail board for safe and efficient transport. Similarly, every product moved from the ground into a boxcar or from a boxcar to the ground needs a yard ramp and potentially a platform for effective and safe loading and unloading. This means 650 freight railroads across the U.S. may be looking for rail boards, yard ramps, as well as portable steel platforms as part of this initiative to upgrade and enhance the capacity of our nation’s freight rail network.
Are you ready to capture your share of this rail freight market? Do you have the equipment knowledge you need to provide the best possible solutions for transporting freight in and out of boxcars? Did you know that Bluff’s all-steel construction rail boards are custom-designed for use on all types of railway cars, including refrigerated cars and the special cars used in the lumber and the paper industries? In addition, every Bluff rail board is engineered with specifications to match specific dock conditions so you can meet the needs of all of your freight customers. Bluff rail boards are also engineered with heavy duty locking rings for safe and secure positioning for capacities up from 15,000 to 90,000 lbs.
Bluff’s 36′ yard ramp unit with a 6’ level off is the best solution for ground-to-boxcar loading. For boxcar loading and unloading in remote areas of a rail yard, a portable steel dock combined with a yard ramp can serve as a satellite unloading area. A portable steel dock is a fast, economical way to expand a dock area and increase freight handling capabilities without the expense of concrete work. A portable dock affords 90 degree turn ability for safe forklift maneuvering as well as trans-loading. Portable docks can also be easily relocated to other areas of a yard where a free-standing loading dock may be needed.
Worksheets created by our engineering department help ensure that your customer’s rail boards, yard ramps and portable steel docks will be the best solution for their specific application, making your job easier. If you would like to learn more about products that can help meet the material handling needs that will arise from this major freight railroad revitalization initiative, call 800.433.2212.
