Heyl & Patterson Blog

Users of railcar dumper systems are invited to discuss the technologies and issues that affect their jobs, at the bi-annual Heyl & Patterson Dumper User Group Conference.  Originally formed in 1984 as the first conference of its kind, the Dumper User Group promotes the efficient and economic operation of rotary railcar dumpers and establishes best practices for the safe operation and maintenance of dumper systems.

Coal became the preferred fuel for powering American cities in the 19th century, replacing wood around 1850.  Anthracite from the coal regions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia was perfect for household uses because it had high quality with few impurities, and stoves and furnaces were designed for it.  The rich Appalachian anthracite fields were close to the big eastern cities and a few major rail lines such as Reading Railroad.

The approval of new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding air pollution, water pollution and waste disposal could result in the retirement of 35-70 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation nationwide.  Electricity rates will most certainly rise, and many believe that even if construction jobs are created in the green industry, virtually no manufacturing jobs are likely to be created from the replacement of coal.  Transmission grid stability will emerge as a major issue, both because of power plant shutdowns and the intermittency of renewables.

Iron is the second most abundant metal in the Earth, and iron ore is the lifeblood of the world's steel industry, with about 98% used in steelmaking.  Iron ore is mined in about 50 countries, and the seven largest account for about three-quarters of total world production.  Australia and Brazil together dominate the world's iron ore exports, each having about a third of total exports.  Iron ore is a low-priced bulk commodity, but mining it can only be economical if the deposit is large and easily accessible and transport costs can be kept to a minimum.

Railcar unloading has become more advanced and complicated since Heyl & Patterson was established in 1887.  In 1984, Heyl & Patterson developed a means to help customers meet the challenges of working with Rotary Railcar Dumpers through an industry first: a conference designed specifically for users of dumpers and related systems.  The conference has been a bi-annual event ever since, and has provided genuine benefits to all who attend.

Power generation comes from a variety of heat-producing sources: oil, natural gas, nuclear, geothermal, wind, solar and of course, coal.  The heat boils water and creates steam.  The steam, under high pressure, spins a turbine.  The turbine interacts with a series of magnets to produce electricity, which is transmitted as moving electrons through a series of wires to homes and businesses.

Coal is handled and stored several times during its journey between the mine and the eventual consumer.  About 2.5 million tons of coal are burned in U.S. power plants each day.  This is equivalent to roughly 21,000 railcars in transit, so coordinating production and consumption is no easy task. Accidents, rail strikes, severe weather and disasters that take out bridges and rail lines can all disrupt deliveries for utility customers who are dependent on a reliable coal supply for their power plants.

Heyl & Patterson is the maker of the CUB™, a unique railcar and locomotive moving device.  Utilizing a steel runway that is bolted to the ties adjacent the track rail, the CUB™ is an electromechanical machine that is capable of moving up to 13 railcars at a time.  It's safe, easy to install, environmentally friendly and far less costly than large systems, making it the ideal solution for small to mid-sized railcar loading, unloading and repositioning applications.

As the name implies, Rotary Railcar Dumper Unloaders are used to unload certain types of railroad cars.  Dumpers hold a car to a section of track and rotate the track and car together to dump out the contents.  Heyl & Patterson machines feature high speed semi-automatic dumping, rotation times as fast as 35 seconds per car and a dumping rate of 10,000 tons per hour when configured in tandem.  Our dumpers can be controlled by just one operator and are ideal for random car or unit train applications.