Hamel, Minnesota – With extended services in Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Asia, Brazil, and India, as well as North America, Loram’s expansive production of specialty transit rail grinding equipment has built the company a worldwide reputation.
Privately owned and based in Minnesota, the company’s outreach of services – maintenance, construction, and improvement of rail infrastructure – has been leading the industry for more than 70 years. It’s no wonder its highly regarded teams and crews deliver the best-in-class services to all their clients.
A key technology at Loram is its advanced rail grinding service that leads the industry in terms of speed, performance and reliability. These rail grinders are designed to re-grind the profile of train tracks to their optimum setting – a keystone service of every railroad maintenance program. Amplifying the life and value of rail assets, ensuring that the removal of fatigued metal is precise, and restoring the defects of the rail head profile are the chief objectives of an effective rail grinder.
The process of regrinding rails is not without its challenges. The grinding media that sparks and spits off the rails as the trains move at speeds of up to 12 miles per hour creates a tough, hazardous environment. This calls for optimal performance from radiators in operating machines to ensure the trains are functioning effectively and safely.
That’s why Loram turned to genuine Mesabi® radiators.
“They came to Mesabi over 10 years ago because they were looking for a solution to get more longevity out of their radiators and coolers, primarily because of the difficult nature of the grinding media,” said Tim Denehy, Regional Sales Manager at L&M Radiator.
When Sparks Fly, Mesabi Radiators Have Got You Covered
A significant challenge in the rail grinding business is managing the large volume of debris produced while restoring rail tracks to their optimal condition. This debris includes steel and metal filings, shavings, dust, sparks, and water. “The debris clogs conventional coolers, it erodes aluminum, it gets caustic, and it is hard on equipment,” said Denehy.
Since the grinding machines are moving at such rapid paces, red-hot sparks ignite with the potential to fly into dry grass and create fires. This can be quite dangerous. That’s why Loram’s grinding machines are thoughtfully and diligently designed to combat these hazards by collecting this debris and extinguishing potential environmental issues.
Still, conventional radiators get easily clogged up with this debris. In addition to that, the debris erodes the aluminum on machines and can even wear them out entirely.
But not with Mesabi.
“Loram uses the Mesabi standard copper core radiator because it eliminates downtime, it’s easier to clean, and it doesn’t clog up as quickly. It also can handle the caustic environment and the media that it’s grinding. The bottom line is, Mesabi means lower maintenance costs and more uptime,” said Denehy.
Mesabi refers to its long-lasting dependability as a “one and done” guarantee. Loram specifically sought out L&M Radiator for the longevity of its products, which ultimately decrease the maintenance and increase the lifespan of rail grinding machines by Loram.
Lower Maintenance and Increase Uptime with Mesabi
On all of Loram’s rail grinders, you’ll find at least one Mesabi radiator, whether it’s a water, oil, or an air cooler. Mesabi also supplies radiators for the company’s battery-powered generators, which supply power to the rail grinding equipment. They have an onboard generator package consisting of a diesel engine with an alternator and a radiator. Together, the engine creates the electricity for the machines and the radiator cools them down.
“We replace a lot of conventional OEM-installed coolers because many coolers only have a life expectancy of up to two years before they need maintenance,” said Denehy. “Mesabi radiators can go four or five times that, depending on the application.”
While working in environments that generate a lot of heat, the functionality of a machine’s radiator is nothing short of crucial to success and safety. Mesabi proves their “one and done” method by providing cooling for every aspect of Loram’s rail grinding process.
“As a rule of thumb, maintenance will look at rebuilding an engine up to four times over the course of its life. You only need to consider replacing a Mesabi after the fourth engine rebuild, which could be 12 to 14 years down the track (pardon the pun),” said Denehy. “With Mesabi, you buy one, and you’re done. You won’t need another radiator for the life of that machine.”
You heard it here. With 70 years under its belt of powering machines across the globe, Mesabi is the solution to all your concerns, whether that be hazardous work environments or machine lifespans. A Mesabi radiator is dependable, efficient, and long-lasting.
L&M Radiator: Bringing Efficiency to Railway Operations Around the Globe
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