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Kenya Acquires Telescopic Cranes for SGR Train Rescue

The crane has a lifting capacity of 160 tonnes and a projected lifespan of 70 years.

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Telescopic boom crane
The crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 160 tonnes. PHOTO | FILE

Kenya Railways has acquired a telescopic boom crane that will be used to recover stalled or derailed vehicles on the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway.

The crane, which was delivered at the port of Mombasa on November 1, is one of the two recovery cranes that are to be supplied by the engineering, procurement and construction contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as part of its agreement with Kenya.

The second crane is expected to be delivered next month.

The crane, which has a diesel-hydraulic engine, has a maximum lifting capacity of 160 tonnes and a projected lifespan of 70 years.

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It is fitted with a telescopic boom which lengthens depending on the required lift.

The crane can also be used to lift equipment or for loading at the deposits or sidings and has the potential to be used during track maintenance to lift track panels and rail sleepers.

To prevent accidental movement during operations, the crane has a hydraulic braking system and it uses outriggers to improve stability.

The crane is hauled by a towing locomotive moving at speeds of up to 120km/hr to conveniently move it to the required site.

Patrick Thuita holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nairobi. With 10+ years of experience in the construction equipment industry, he brings a wealth of expertise to our coverage.