Mechanising
vegetation
operations
Jonathan Callis & Dr Neil Strong
UAG Conference 12.07.2011
Presentation outline
• Safety and regulation
• Mechanisation of operations
- Inspection
- Clearance
- Processing
- Maintenance
• Questions
2
Safety
3
Regulator funding, required efficiencies
CP5
4
Benchmarking, watching, learning
• We have been busy!
• Other railways
• Other linear asset owners
• Other allied land based industries
5
What we are trying to achieve
http://www.bafu.admin.ch/publikationen/publikation/00612/index.html?lang=en
6
Strategy Summary - Intensive Zone
Baled / Compacted
Biomass
Mechanical
Clearance
Whole Tree
Processing
Timber
Manual
Stump Treatment
Motor Manual
Clearance
Manual Feed
Processing
Chipped
Biomass
Asset Database
7
Strategy Summary - Extensive Zone
Baled / Compacted
Biomass
Mechanical
Clearance
Whole Tree
Processing
Timber
Manual
Stump Treatment
Motor Manual
Clearance
Manual Feed
Processing
Chipped
Biomass
Mechanised
Herbicide Application
Remote Control
Heavy Maintenance
Manual
Herbicide Application
Driven Machinery
Heavy Maintenance
LiDAR
Inspection Data
Asset Database
Visual
Inspection Data
Video
Inspection Data
8
Inspections - Aerial
9
Inspections - LiDAR Asset Surveying
Diagram depicts classification of ‘woody vegetation’
encroaching within an infinite vertical space 5m from
the outer ‘running rail’
5m
Classified points of
encroachment
Outer running
rail
Ground returns
10
LiDAR outputs
11
Mechanising / Modularising Tree Work
12
Tree Clearance - Road Rail Mounted C16a
• Forest industry moved to
mechanisation over two decades ago
• Worldwide search comparing felling /
harvesting shear, bar, and disc heads
• Bracke C16a feller buncher selected
as optimum combination of safety,
speed, cost, weight and noise
• Clearance of trees and bushes from
the outer running rail to a horizontal
distance of 6.0 metres. That is a big
enough task alone!
• This activity is key to NR safety /
performance KPIs and
NR/L2/TRK/5201 compliance
13
Standard C16a Risk Zone
70m
Exclusion
Zone
Boundary
Fence
Boundary
Fence
14
Revised C16a Risk Zone: With safety kit
15
Tree Clearance - Traditional Harvester
16
What about…. Walking Excavators?
17
Tree Processing - Hand Fed Chippers
18
Tree Processing - Mechanical Feed
19
Tree Extraction - Traditional Systems
20
Tree Extraction - Rail Systems
21
What about… Extracting Biomass as Chip?
22
What about… Seasoned Biomass Bales?
23
What about… A Tree Clearance Train?
Direction
of travel
Station 1
Locomotive
Maximum
reach
Tree cutter
hydraulic arm
Station 2
Tree Cutter
Processor
exit conveyor
Station 3
Processor
Auxiliary
conveyor
Station 4
Collection
Auxiliary
conveyor
Station 4a
Collection
Station 4b
Collection
Running rail
to 5m
24
Heavy Mechanical Maintenance
25
Road Rail Vehicle with Mulching Head
26
Issues with Arm Mounted Mulching Heads
27
Machine Mounted Mulching Heads
Kyoeisha HMB1560
GreenMech Multi-Task 120
Posi-Track PT-100
LUF BushFighter
28
LUF BushFighter
• 100hp diesel engine
• Remote control
• 2.8 tonnes
• Multi tool carrier
• D Bahn operate a fleet of 14 units
• 4th generation model
29
BushFighter Performance
• Woody stems to ~ 10cm ↔
/ 3m
↕
• Stump removal to ~ 60cm ↔
• Approved to operate to 45°
- all planes / directions
• Oil pan tested to 60°
30
BushFighter Operational Controls
31
‘Light’ Mechanical Maintenance
32
Mechanical Maintenance - ‘Light’ RC
• Light scrub and non-woody vegetation
- Niko Robo Flail
- Irus Deltrak
- EnerGreen RoboGreen
33
Initial Trial: RoboGreen - Wessex Route
34
Chemical Maintenance - Trains / RRVs
3
What about… Infrared Spray Control?
36
Chemical Maintenance - Slopes & Walls
37
Chemical Maintenance - Slopes & Walls
38
BUT… Mechanisation has it limits!
• NR are trialling a number of ideas
• But…
- no one tool or piece of kit suits every job
- manual teams are very versatile
- nothing has to date ‘replaced’ chainsaws
• Selection of what to use is site and task specific
• Some ideas may not become NR approved
• Mechanisation fits into a wider strategy
39
Thank you for your kind attention!
jonathan.callis@networkrail.co.uk
neil.strong@networkrail.co.uk
40