Rail worker insights

Off to construction site adventures

Rail worker insights

Off to construction site adventures

Discover the fascinating world of track construction and maintenance with the P&T Railclub!

Become part of our community and learn first-hand about exciting stories like that of Jens Meinhardt, an experienced machine operator at Schweerbau GmbH & Co. KG, who gives us an insight into the RM900 ballast cleaning machine and his everyday work.

“You have to have technical know-how and be good with your hands. You shouldn't shy away from working rain or shine. And you have to be interested in large machines.” This is how Jens Meinhardt describes what it takes to do track work.

Take an exclusive look behind the scenes of major construction projects and find out why a clean ballast bed is an essential prerequisite of safe rail transport.

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We accompany Schweerbau machine operator Jens Meinhardt to the RM 900 ballast cleaning machine.

This is the RM 900, with a length of around 80 metres ‒ we are working here in Soest ‒ in Westphalia, in the west of Germany.

Before actual excavation can begin, there is one important preparatory measure to be taken: inserting the chain into the cutter bar hole for the cutter bar of the excavating chain.

The RM’s main job is to clean the existing ballast in addition to excavating.

“Our goal for the day is to work through 600 to 700 metres, depending on how things go.”

As a rule, up to 70% of the freshly reconditioned ballast can be reused ‒ this makes it possible to use existing material as sustainably as possible.

“This time we're only removing the ballast because it can't be reconditioned. Normally, we clean the ballast.”

“My job is to operate the machine and I take care of the servicing, and of everything beyond that: the machine, that everything runs smoothly, that everyone can do their job.”

The worksite is planned for a little over a week, maybe ten days, since we have lots of ballast to move during full excavation.

Jens and his team make sure the machine works as efficiently as possible ‒ excavating jobs can cause signs of wear even on the highest-quality material due to the hardness of the stones.