Holland celebrates 50 years of Mobile Flash-Butt Welding

Holland celebrates 50 years of Mobile Flash-Butt Welding

February 15, 2022

Over the last 50 years, we are proud to have provided railways around the world with high-quality flash-butt welding services and equipment.

In March of 1972, Holland unveiled to the rail industry the first self-propelled railcar with a portable electric flash-butt welding machine in Railway Track & Structures Magazine. This allowed railways to perform flash-butt welding in track in a mobile setting.

Unit 101, also known as FWX 101, was created from a retired Pullman mail sorting car. To learn more about unit 101, click here to read more.

 

In 1979, our 200-Series MobileWelder® debuted which allowed for travel on roadways and railways.

 

With the 200-series and 250-series MobileWelders®, rubber wheels were removed, and steel wheels were put on to allow travel on railways.

 

It wasn’t until our 400-series that hydraulic hirails were added for easier set-up before beginning projects.

 

While our mobile welding units have evolved as well as the capability of our welding technology. Holland’s Intelliweld® Control System revolutionized the rail industry with its unparalleled control over the flashing process and low consumption welding. Intelliweld® provides real-time weld monitoring, control, and diagnostics, along with remote access, ensuring maximum quality and maximum uptime. Learn more about how our proprietary control system was designed here.

 

Although our traditional MobileWelder® units are most well known, we have also configured our mobile welding capabilities for unique transit settings and facilities with crane rail.

Today, our fleet of over 200 MobileWelders® within North America provide railways with the highest quality flash-butt weld known in the industry. We’re proud to have over 36 countries around the globe maintaining their railways with Holland’s flash-butt welding technology as well. We’re so thankful for the last 50 years and looking forward to the future of Holland and more innovations flash-butt welding technology.