Man engines for snow control in the Alps
1,600 kW to ensure snow-free tracks in the Alps Man engines don’t fear the cold weather of the Alps. That’s why the Schmidt Beilhack HB1100S snow blower started to operate together with two Man D2862 diesel engines this year. The 76 ton machine, which is used to clear snow-covered railway tracks, is powered by two […]
1,600 kW to ensure snow-free tracks in the Alps
Man engines don’t fear the cold weather of the Alps. That’s why the Schmidt Beilhack HB1100S snow blower started to operate together with two Man D2862 diesel engines this year. The 76 ton machine, which is used to clear snow-covered railway tracks, is powered by two 793 kW Man twelve-cylinder engines.
One engine powers the actual vehicle, while the other operates the blower mechanism. With a clearing width of up to six metres, the snow blower, with a helping hand from the two Man power units, can shift up to 10,000 tons of snow per hour.
The two compact engines are installed next to one another in the rear of the machine, where they can show off their high power density. The two 24-litre units can deliver 793 kW each, sufficient power to accelerate the Schmidt Beilhack HB1100S to speeds of over 100 km/h, even on inclines.
After the successful completion of all tests this year, the snow blower is now at the service of the Austrian rail operator ÖBB to manage the snow on the Alps.
The right engine for the right task
Silvia Knorr, Segment Marketing Manager at Aebi Schmidt, explained: «Snow blowers have to guarantee a high clearing capacity but require a compact construction. The machine length has to be as short as possible, as the wide clearing head must not protrude beyond the clearance gauge of the line when going around bends».
The engineers from Man found the right solution to answer these needs. Instead of the D2862 twelve-cylinder units from the rail portfolio they chose two off-road engines, which are widely used in agricultural applications such as field choppers. Compared to their flat rail counterparts, they have a narrower and shorter design, making them perfectly suited for Aebi Schmidt’s needs.
Man can benefit from synergies within its range of industrial engines, enabling them to offer this kind of solution. Lorenz Panknin, Head of Rail Sales at Man Engines, added: «This project once again shows off Man Engines’ exceptional engineering competence, and demonstrates that the customer and their needs is always our focus».
