East Brunswick, New Jersey – ICON Tunnel Systems, North America’s leading trench shoring and pilot tube guided auger boring sales and service company, now offers their newly designed Transformer Slide Rail System to trenchless contractors as an alternative shoring solution to sheet and shore tunnel access shafts for auger boring, microtunneling, pipe jacking and pipe ramming projects.
“We’ve designed this new rail system for the changing and always challenging trenchless industry,” says David Crandall, Vice President of ICON Tunnel Systems. “Every trenchless road, highway, railway or environmental crossing project requires a safe trench shoring pit to work in, but each job varies and may require different dimensions. This is why we have designed our Transformer Slide Rail System to be a modular sheeting system that can change along with the requirements for the project,” continues Crandall. “The Transformer Rail is the newest addition to our slide rail shoring systems and is 30-40% stronger, which allows for larger clearances and increased working room for auger boring machines and large pipe diameters. The new design also decreases the amount of repairs and maintenance needed by approximately 50% when compared to previous designs.”
ICON’s Transformer Slide Rail is designed to be used in some of the most extreme soil conditions, up to a maximum depth of 36’ in C60 soil. The rail is equipped to handle slide rail panels in lengths ranging from 9.84’ to 20.50’ and with heights of 4’ and 8’. Transformer Slide Rail lengths are available in 14’, 18’ and 26’. The 14’ and 18’ rails will be offered in a double rail configuration. The 26’ rail will be offered in both double and triple rail configurations for shoring deep shafts and trenches.
“We designed the Transformer Rail to also handle three different types of bracing with one great rail including; fixed rail, roller rail and angled raker bracing. This is made possible by simply having to change the hardware fittings, not the rail,” says Crandall.
Roller Rail Bracing will allow the contractor to move the bracing cart up and down the face of the Transformer Rail when needed in order to provide large clearances for pipes, culverts, structures or for an easier removal of the cross braces during a re-bracing procedure for open clear-span designs.
Fixed Rail Bracing will allow the contractor to plan ahead before the start of an installation and pin the bracing into specific locations along the face of the Transformer Rail. This ensures a proper assembly and perfect installation of the bracing every time.
Angled Raker Bracing allows the contractor to remove all horizontal cross bracing in the way of the work to be done, providing a large open clear span for bridge piers or large tanks. This type of bracing is ideal for use when “Re-Bracing” with Steel Tie-Back beams are not a viable option.
The competitively priced Transformer Rail System is manufactured at ICON’s headquarters in East Brunswick, NJ. The rails are made out of high grade 50 KSI steel with reinforced headers, pounding plates and ICON’s special impact design. This allows the Transformer Rail to last for 10 to 15 years with minimal maintenance. In addition, a 6 point inspection process that ICON has developed over the years is required with all new equipment, ensuring high-quality manufacturing at all times.
ICON will also supply consulting services for the project. If required, site specific engineering with shop drawings, paper calculations and P.E. Stamp for newly purchased or rented slide rail systems in all 50 states is also available.
Since 1982, ICON has steadily increased their market share and product offerings to become a full-service trench shoring and pilot tube guided boring company and industry leader in underground construction projects. ICON has the in-house resources to handle projects of any size across North America and provide a comprehensive line of services that include consulting, design, engineering, manufacturing and distribution, as well as the ability to lease or rent equipment.