
DIVERSIFIED METAL FABRICATORS, INC. CHIPPER RAILGEAR
1-2 © 2020 DMF, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION, WEIGHTS & CAPACITIES
DMF’s Chipper Railgear is designed for tow behind chippers. The Railgear completely lifts the
chipper tires above rail when deployed. This allows for various tracked chippers to be used on
the same gauge rail.
Two version of the Chipper Railgear are offered. The first version, RW-1019 Chipper Railgear
uses a RW-1019 standard 10” wheel and axle assembly. The gear is actuated by two hydraulic
cylinders per axle. RW-1019 Chipper Railgear is standard for most applications and tailored for
lighter chippers. The second version, RW-1212 Chipper Railgear uses a RW-1212 standard 12”
wheel and axle assembly. This gear uses four hydraulic cylinders per axle. The RW-1212
Chipper Railgear is used only in applications where the chipper is too heavy for standard RW-
1019 Chipper Railgear.
1.1.1 Weights and Capacities
Chipper Railgear Capacity per Railgear Axle @ 20 MPH:
RW-1019 Chipper Railgear: ~8,200 lbs.
RW-1212 Chipper Railgear: ~12,300 lbs.
Chipper Railgear installed weights per axle, no brakes:
RW-1019 Chipper Railgear: ~300 lbs.
RW-1212 Chipper Railgear: ~540 lbs.
1.1.2 Installation
The DMF Chipper Railgear assemblies were designed to minimize the mounting space needed
with minimal modifications to the trailer. The Chipper Railgear is mounted just behind the rear
axle where space is available. The Railgear can be ordered with a second axle, for mounting to
the front of the frame. Spacing should be considered to balance the chipper when the Railgear
is deployed. It should be noted that chippers requiring a second axle must be towed with a
drawbar.
1.1.3 Options
There are multiple options available when ordering a set of Chipper Railgear. The most
commonly ordered options include rail wheel brakes for aided stopping on rail, insulated wheels
to prevent crossing signal actuation and rail sweeps to clear the rail of potentially damaging
materials.
1.1.4 Brakes
NOTE:
Primary braking effort is provided from the towing vehicle when operating on rail. The rail
wheel brake system is intended to assist the vehicle. If the existing vehicle brakes are not
maintained in good working order, the rail wheel brakes are not capable of independently
stopping the vehicle in reasonably short distances.
The optional brakes are hydraulically actuated from the supplied Railgear power unit. When
enabled, the chipper brakes are applied when the brakes are applied in the tow vehicle. A
timer is used to limit the run time of the pump to prevent overuse.