The sideboom has been the heart and soul of Hulcher's fleet since our earliest railroad projects in the 1960s
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Download Hulcher Caterpillar Sideboom Flyer (PDF)
Download Hulcher Core Services Brochure (PDF)
Download Track Maintenance / Maintenance of Way / Engineering Services Brochure (PDF)
Download Mechanical Services Flyer (PDF)
Download Mechanical Services Flyer (PDF)
IN THIS SECTION:
Railroad / Mechanical Equipment
Caterpillar® Sideboom
The first time a sideboom was used on a derailment project was by Hulcher in the 1960s, and the sideboom has been the heart and soul of Hulcher's fleet - and superior derailment response service - ever since.
Today Hulcher has Caterpillar® sidebooms stationed at most of its divisions around the United States. Our sidebooms include the Caterpillar® 572 and the Caterpillar® 583.
The sideboom is used for Mechanical / Railroad Services, Track Maintenance / Maintenance of Way / Engineering Services, Transfer / Load Adjustment Services, Maintenance Services and Disaster Response.
Hulcher's sidebooms are customized for work in railroad environments. They have been fitted with a rear winch to provide towing capability of 60 tons or more. They are equipped with cutting torches and all the cables, chains, hooks and tools necessary to respond to any derailment situation. Many Hulcher sidebooms even have padded tracks to prevent damage to ties, rail, asphalt and concrete, perfect for working in rail yards and on the right-of-way. Other Hulcher sidebooms have steel tracks for greater traction and mobility in mud and snow.
Some services our Caterpillar® sidebooms are used for include:
- loading, unloading and installing track panel
- installing diamonds, retarders and switches
- derailment support
- load-out and tie down services
- wheel changes, idler changes and traction motor changes
- hurricane, tornado and storm response
- transportation / relocation
Sidebooms can be deployed independently or in conjunction with other Hulcher equipment, like the excavator, wheel loader, track loader and dozer.
The sidebooms are maintained through Hulcher’s Preventative Mechanical Maintenance Program. This multi-layered, proactive system of inspections and servicing that ensures our sidebooms are trustworthy and ready to go to work when you need them.
Anyone who has worked with railroad contractors knows that the most important part of a sideboom is the operator. Hulcher’s operators are railroad specialists. They have received training in railroad applications, are current in safety and security certification requirements for all Class I railroads, and have spent years perfecting their craft in maintenance-of-way environments.With their extensive railroad experience, our operators can work seemlessly with your rail gangs.
Hulcher Services pioneered the sideboom as a tool of the railroad contractor and has been the industry leader for derailment response and other sideboom services for more than 40 years.
When your project calls for sideboom support you can trust, call Hulcher today at 800-637-5471.
FEATURED CATERPILLAR® SIDEBOOM PROJECTS
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Case Study - Hulcher Provides Disaster Response to Simultaneous Major Flood Events Record snowfalls and spring rains resulted in major flooding throughout North Dakota. Much of the state was declared a disaster area. At the same time, a separate flood event devastated several midwest states. Railroads, local governments and industry needed a contractor with extensive, national resources, including trained crews and a fleet of heavy equipment, to respond to both flood events. |
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Case Study - #15 Switch Change A #15 switch at the rail yard had been damaged. Since this switch was located at a rail yard it was close to several other tracks that were busy with traffic. The railroad needed an experienced crew to get the switch changed out quickly and safely. Fortunately, they had a maintenance-of-way contract with Hulcher Services and brought in a Hulcher crew to get the work done. |
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Case Study - #20 Switch Change The railroad needed to change a #20 switch as part of their routine track maintenance program. The switch was on a double main, so the project had to be completed within very tight track windows. |
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Case Study - Hulcher Services Rehabilitates Containment System for Two Million-Gallon Above Ground Storage Tanks ASTs The railroad identified that its containment system for two one-million gallon Above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) used for diesel storage was out of compliance. They needed the installation of a new GCL liner and cover system, along with improvements to the storm water drainage collection and removal system inside the dike. |
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Case Study - Hulcher Crews Perform Tie Down Work on Military Heavy Equipment The U.S. Army was deploying military hardware from two installations. The military needed an experienced railroad contractor who understood the regulatory requirements for properly tying down heavy equipment on railcars. |
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Project Snapshot - Hulcher Performs Loading and Tie Down of Hopper Cars The railroad retired two hopper cars and needed a contractor to load them to a flat car for transport to the scrap yard. |
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Project Snapshot - Hulcher Performs Loading and Tie Down of Three Damaged Locomotives The railroad needed a contractor to load three locomotives on flat cars for transport to the repair facility. |
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Case Study - Hulcher Sidebooms, Track Loaders Moves 170 Ton Industrial Dredge With Precision An aggregate company was ending its lease of a sand pit and needed to relocate its large industrial dredge to another pit approximately one mile away. They needed a company with the hardware capable of safely moving this 340,000 lb., 90’ x 20’ piece of equipment over land. |
Photos of Caterpillar® Sidebooms
