The PESADO heavy haul firm was commissioned to move an electric locomotive weighing about 180t across a distance of 2,250km from San Luis Potosi to Valladolid, Yucatan, for the new Tren Maya railway in Mexico. As a result, PESADO selected a Goldhofer 12-axle THP/SL heavy-duty combo with a drop deck capable of carrying up to 300t. The drop deck was required due to the locomotive’s total height of 4.7m.
The departure from the loading yard was the first test of the PESADO team’s capabilities with the 69m long combination. The tight locations on the route, including roundabouts and crossroads, created no severe issues with a 55° steering angle and +/-300 mm hydraulic axle stroke.
“It was a challenging journey through tourist areas with narrow roads and tight radii, but the precision steering available with Goldhofer’s THP/SL modules makes safe and accurate maneuvering possible even under such conditions,” said Ramiro Muñoz Martinez, Specialized Transportation Engineer from Heavy Transport.
Two 515hp Western Star 6900XD 8×6 heavy-duty tractors powered the 69m long combo, which was occasionally operated in push-pull mode. The 335t rig, with a total width of 3.3m and a total height of 5.06m, arrived at Valladolid, Yucatan, in 14 days.
For a showcase project like Mexico’s Tren Maya, it was vital to ensure a smooth operation with the EMD GP-38-2 electric locomotive, which is 18m long and weighs around 180t. Tren Maya is a large infrastructure project that will see the construction of a 1,500km railway line linking Mexico’s tourism attractions and Maya monuments.