Cleaning Train Tracks With A Nilfisk-ALTO Pressure Washer

Nilfisk-ALTO have developed a custom pressure washer on wheels for cleaning train tracks.

Wet weather and the autumnal leaf fall can create slippery coatings on railway tracks through woodland. It can be so slippery that the wheels of the trains will spin when the track raises or the trains may have problems accelerating. To improve safety and efficiency,  Nilfisk-ALTO developed a customised solution for Banedanmark (Railway Organization in Denmark) in the shape of a high pressure washer on wheels.

Nilfisk-ALTO created a huge high pressure washer with special nozzles and a 7000 litre water tank. The two nozzles operate with 500 bar pressure and 40 l/min waterflow.  The cleaning unit is located on a sturdy steel frame just to put on a wagon. It runs with a speed of 45 km/h and can easily clean the exposed sections of track removing the sticky mass that occurs when the leaves fall and become stuck on the rails.

The high pressure washers on wheels are painted in bright yellow as requested by the customer. They will operate primarily at night throughout autumn and winter.

Banedanmark has bought three of these special cleaning units, to date with a unit price of approx £90K. These machines are expensive because they are specially designed and are developed from scratch, "explains Lars Therkildsen, team leader of Special Projects in our Danish factory.  

This special team is located in Hadsund, Denmark and their main task is to meet the more unusual customer requests. Look out for more interesting project news on special assignments in the future.