Magnetic traction assist for railcar mover

Inventors: Robert Evans (LaGrange, GA); Jeffrey Looney (LaGrange, GA); Kevin Grover (Fayettevile, GA); Calvin Wagner (LaGrange, GA); Marco Mattioli (Modena, IT)

Assignee: Trackmobile LLC

B61C15/04 B60F1/043 B61C11/00 B61F1/06 B61J3/12

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12686418
App. No.: 18/514,649
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A magnetic traction assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides additional downforce to improve traction for a railcar mover when required. The magnetic traction assembly may comprise a frame, an actuator, and a magnetic element positioned underneath a railcar mover. The magnetic element may be lowered to a deployed position, where the magnetic element is positioned near the railroad rails such that the magnetic field from the magnetic element interacts with the railroad rail creating an attraction force that provides additional downforce to the railcar mover.

Claims (28)

1 . A traction assist assembly for a railcar mover comprising:

one or more magnetic elements attached to a bottom side of a railcar mover, the railcar mover having rail wheels for traveling on railroad rails and road wheels for traveling along a road;

a control system comprising one or more physical processors programmed by one or more computer program instructions that, when executed, configure the one or more physical processors to automatically engage or disengage the one or more magnetic elements, wherein to automatically engage or disengage the one or more magnetic elements, the one or more physical processors are configured to determine a current operational mode of the railcar mover, the current operational mode comprising one of rail mode and road mode, wherein the railcar mover is configured to travel along railroad rails via the rail wheels in rail mode, and wherein the railcar mover is configured to travel along a road via the road wheels in road mode; and

wherein the one or more magnetic elements are configured to be positioned over a railroad rail such that, when engaged, the one or more magnetic elements create an attractive force between the one or more magnetic elements and the railroad rail when the railcar mover is traveling on the railroad rail via the rail wheels.

2 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnetic elements comprise one or more electromagnetic elements, and wherein the attractive force is created when the one or more magnetic elements are energized.

3 . The traction assist assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a power source configured to provide power to the one or more electromagnetic elements.

4 . The traction assist assembly of claim 2 , wherein the one or more magnetic elements are attached to the bottom side of the railcar mover via a frame secured to a bottom side of a chassis of the railcar mover.

5 . The traction assist assembly of claim 4 , wherein the one or more magnetic elements are further attached to the bottom side of the railcar mover via an actuator having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the actuator is attached to a bottom side of the frame at the first end and attached to the one or more magnetic elements at the second end, wherein the actuator is configured to lower the one or more magnetic elements to a predetermined distance from a top surface of the railroad rail.

6 . The traction assist assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a housing configured to secure the one or more magnetic elements, wherein the actuator is attached to the one or more magnetic elements at the second end via the housing.

7 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein to automatically engage or disengage the one or more magnetic elements, the one or more physical processors are configured to:

obtain data from one or more monitoring devices or sensors related to performance of the railcar mover and/or the traction assist assembly;

compare the data related to the performance of the railcar mover to one or more predetermined parameters; and

determine whether additional traction is needed based on the comparison.

8 . The traction assist assembly of claim 7 , wherein responsive to a determination that additional traction is needed, the one or more physical processors are configured to:

cause an actuator to lower the one or more magnetic elements to a predetermined distance from a top surface of the railroad rail.

9 . The traction assist assembly of claim 8 , wherein responsive to a determination that additional traction is no longer needed, the one or more physical processors are configured to:

cause the actuator to retract the one or more magnetic elements away from the railroad rail.

10 . The traction assist assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more magnetic elements comprise one or more electromagnetic elements, and wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to:

cause the power provided to the one or more electromagnetic elements to be adjusted based on the comparison.

11 . The traction assist assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to:

cause an actuator to raise or lower the one or more magnetic elements such that the distance between the one or more magnetic elements and a top surface of the railroad rail is adjusted based on the comparison, wherein adjusting the distance between the top surface of the railroad rail alters the attractive force between the one or more magnetic elements and the railroad rail.

12 . The traction assist assembly of claim 7 , wherein the data obtained from the one or more monitoring devices or sensors indicates one or more of temperature, engine RPM, torque converter RPM, driving torque, input from braking system, and/or input from wheels of the railcar mover.

13 . The traction assist assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more monitoring devices or sensors include a temperature sensor, and the data from the one or more monitoring devices or sensors includes a temperature of the one or more magnetic elements, wherein the one or more physical processors are configured to:

automatically disengage the one or more magnetic elements from the railroad rail responsive to a determination that the temperature of the one or more magnetic elements exceeds a predetermined limit.

14 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnetic elements comprise a reverse “U” shaped magnet comprising two coils.

15 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein responsive to a determination that the railcar mover is in rail mode, the control system is configured to automatically cause the one or more magnetic elements to engage the railroad rail.

16 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more rollers separate from the rail wheels and the road wheels that are configured to keep the one or more magnetic elements at least a predetermined distance from a top surface of the railroad rail.

17 . The traction assist assembly of claim 1 , wherein the road wheels are configured to be lowered to disengage the rail wheels from the railroad rails.