Stripping down and rebuilding bogies can be heavy work, which is why Mechan has devised a range of products to make their removal, refurbishment and maintenance easier.

Bogie and wheelset turntables enable items to be moved between adjacent roads or around the depot and can be powered electrically or manually. They are normally fitted with double cross rails and a manual latch to hold them in position.

Lifters and rotators are also used in the maintenance of bogies, but may be designed to facilitate inspection of other components as well.

Bogie lifting platforms and their mobile counterparts attach to the frame to raise a bogie to a comfortable working height. Mechan’s platforms are located in the workshop floor and will take the weight of a forklift truck, so formal depot operations can continue when the equipment is not in use. Mobile lifters may not offer the same all-round access, but they are cheaper to install and more flexible.

Working in pairs, rotators lift and turn a bogie in a safe and ergonomic manner. The master jack is fixed to the floor, whilst its slave is mounted on guide rails to enable the bogie to pivot between them. A non-reversing screw system supports the load at all times, even when power is lost, making bogie testing and maintenance safer and more efficient. Typically, they are manufactured to lift between 6t and 8t, however, Mechan can increase capacity to 10t if required.

Keeping large items at overhaul facilities presents space and accessibility problems, but low and high-level stands, stacking frames and pallets are available to store traction motors, module packages, wheelsets and bogies, for removal by crane or forklift. For improved productivity, automated crane and grab equipment may be incorporated into a custom storage solution.

Once bogie maintenance is complete, a bogie press or test stand is needed to mimic the loads imposed by the rail vehicle and settle the suspension, so no further adjustment to the ride height is required.

Mechan’s bogie presses accommodate various types of bogie. A spreader beam is recommended to transfer weight to the press structure, which can be mounted in the depot floor if tracks are flush or under a raised section of rail. Each unit is made to order and is available with a range of optional extras, from automation of some or all functions to data logging.