Hyrail

Hyrail refers to a type of vehicle that is equipped to travel on both standard roadways and railway tracks. These vehicles, often referred to as hi-rail vehicles, road-rail vehicles, or dual-mode vehicles, combine the mobility of a road vehicle with the efficiency of rail transport. Their primary function is to provide access to railway infrastructure for maintenance, inspection, and repair purposes.

The design of a hyrail vehicle typically involves adding a set of retractable rail wheels or bogies to a standard road vehicle chassis. These rail wheels are lowered when the vehicle needs to operate on tracks and retracted when it returns to the road. This dual capability allows workers to drive to a worksite on public roads and then transition directly onto the railway line, saving time and the need for separate transport to the rail corridor.

Hyrail vehicles are used by railway companies, contractors, and maintenance crews worldwide. They are essential for tasks such as track inspection, signal maintenance, vegetation management, and emergency response. The ability to quickly deploy personnel and equipment directly to a specific location on the rail network makes hyrail vehicles a valuable tool for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of railways. Various types of road vehicles, from small utility vehicles to larger trucks, can be modified to incorporate hyrail capabilities, depending on the specific requirements of the job.