US 12,391,289 B2
Pole-setting and cable deployment and stringing rail car consist for overhead catenary systems
Aaron Q Neeley, St. Joseph, MO (US)
Assigned to Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., St. Joseph, MO (US)
Filed by Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., St. Joseph, MO (US)
Filed on Jan. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/405,353.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/478,798, filed on Jan. 6, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0227874 A1, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B61D 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B61D 15/00 (2013.01) 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pole-setting consist comprising a plurality of rail-bound rail-cars coupled together into a single unit, the pole-setting consist including:
a pole-setting segment comprising one or more pole setting cars configured with a cargo area formed between longitudinal sidewalls of each of the one or more pole setting cars and a pole handling apparatus having an articulated arm configured to successively retrieve one of a plurality of poles from the cargo area of the one or more pole setting cars and to successively position the one of the plurality of poles retrieved from the cargo area of the pole setting cars alongside the consist for installation on a foundation, the pole handling apparatus configured to travel along the longitudinal sidewalls of the one or more pole setting cars of the pole-setting segment;
a cable-deployment segment comprising one or more cable deployment cars in which one or more spools of cable are disposed in a cargo area formed between longitudinal sidewalls of at least one of the one or more cable-deployment cars, and a cable-lifting apparatus having an extendable arm with an end arm tool configured to raise a cable unspooled from one of the one or more spools to a desired height and location for installation on the poles, the cable-lifting apparatus configured to travel along the longitudinal sidewalls of the one or more cable-deployment cars of the cable-deployment segment; and
a cable-stringing segment comprising one or more of the plurality of rail-bound rail-cars and having a man-lift disposed thereon and configured to raise one or more crew members to a desired height and location alongside the consist for installation of the cables on the poles, the man-lift configured to travel along the one or more rail-bound rail-cars of the cable-stringing segment.