At railway freight stations, marshalling yards, and railway construction sites, gantry cranes serve as critical loading and unloading equipment, directly impacting operational efficiency and safety.

All lifting equipment along Kenya's 480-kilometer Mombasa-Nairobi Railway utilizes products from Henan Mine Crane. Designed for the challenging coastal environment with strong winds and heavy rainfall, these customized gantry cranes deliver precise lifting and high-efficiency operations, providing core assurance for the railway's safe operation. Selecting gantry cranes for the railway industry requires comprehensive consideration of operational requirements, environmental conditions, and technical specifications. Below is a professional selection guide.

Lifting capacity is the primary selection criterion, determined by the maximum load to be handled, typically with a 20% margin for unexpected conditions. Railway freight stations require 50-120 ton equipment for container handling, while precast beam installation during railway construction demands higher lifting capacities. Henan Mine's container gantry cranes for the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway precisely match Africa's freight load requirements.

Span design must align with site layout. A general guideline is that single-girder gantry cranes are suitable for spans under 35 meters and lifting capacities below 50 tons. For wider gantry legs, high operating speeds, or frequent handling of long, heavy components, double-girder gantry cranes should be selected. Wheelbase settings must meet stability requirements, typically ranging from 1/4 to 1/6 of the span length, while ensuring cargo can pass smoothly through the support leg's planar steel frame.

Work class selection is critical. For high-frequency railway hub operations, intermediate work classes A5 or above are recommended. Heavy-duty applications like marshalling yards require A6-A8 high-level equipment to ensure reliability under long-term, high-intensity operations.

Adapting to Complex Environments

Power supply selection must align with site conditions: Overhead conductor rails are suitable for yards with travel distances under 200 meters, offering lower costs but higher maintenance demands; trench-mounted conductor rails serve areas requiring high ground leveling standards; cable reel power supply accommodates extensive mobility, supporting 380V or 10kV power sources. Henan Mine provides customized power solutions tailored to railway station requirements.

For specialized scenarios like railway tunnel construction, crane height restrictions and explosion-proof requirements must be considered. In high-altitude regions, motors require high-altitude adaptation modifications to ensure reliable operation under low atmospheric pressure conditions.

Selecting the Appropriate Structural Type

Single-girder gantry cranes with truss structures feature light self-weight and low wind resistance, making them suitable for light-duty operations in outdoor railway yards. Box-girder structures offer high rigidity and load-bearing capacity but feature heavier weight and slightly weaker wind resistance, making them suitable for heavy-duty railway precast yards. Henan Mine Crane's rail-mounted container gantry cranes utilize an optimized box-girder design, achieving a perfect balance between strength and stability. When site constraints prevent full-span equipment installation, single-cantilever gantry cranes can be selected. Their asymmetrical structure maximizes limited space utilization.

For specialized applications, semi-gantry cranes are viable. One side runs along tracks while the other rests on ground support, making them ideal for retrofitting existing rail lines with minimal disruption to infrastructure.

Ensuring Safety Compliance and Service Support

Equipment must comply with multiple national standards, including the “General Gantry Crane Standard (GBT14405-93)” and the “Code for Construction and Acceptance of Lifting Equipment Installation Projects (GB50287-2010)”. Safety devices must be fully equipped: load limiters, travel limiters, and buffers are essential components. Outdoor equipment requires additional wind speed alarms that automatically trigger when wind speeds exceed 10.8 m/s. In the railway sector, equipment downtime equates to transportation disruption, making a manufacturer's spare parts supply capability and technical support efficiency particularly critical.

First, gather foundational project data: maximum lifting capacity, cargo dimensions, site span, operational frequency, etc. Next, assess environmental conditions including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and power supply. Then, preliminarily determine structural type and technical specifications based on these parameters. Finally, invite manufacturers for on-site surveys to refine solution details.

Railway industry users can reference Henan Mine's successful case studies. Its customized gantry cranes for multiple Belt and Road railway projects have operated reliably in complex environments across Africa, Southeast Asia, and beyond. For railway freight yards primarily handling container loading/unloading, the Henan Mine rail-mounted container gantry crane is recommended. Designed for high-frequency, high-efficiency operations, this model significantly boosts freight turnover efficiency.

Selecting a railway gantry crane is not merely equipment procurement but an investment in long-term operational reliability. With its superior product quality and global service network, Henan Mine Crane has become a trusted partner in the railway sector, offering full-cycle support from selection consultation to lifetime maintenance for diverse railway projects.