Single engine excavator capable of railroad use

Abstract

A material handling vehicle is provided which is capable of operation on the highway, off-road and on railroad tracks. The vehicle includes a lower truck chassis having an engine and a first operator's cab and an upper structure which includes an upper structure operator's cab and a material handling implement. In the travel mode of operation, the engine is directly connected to the torque converter of a powershift transmission to provide a rotational output to the drive wheels. In the off-road or remote operating mode of the excavator, the transmission is controlled so as to prohibit the connection between the torque converter and the transmission gears. However, a power take-off on the transmission is coupled to a hydraulic pump which provides hydraulic fluid under pressure to a hydraulic motor which, in turn, may provide rotational power to a secondary input to the transmission to provide drive power. In the railroad operating mode of the present invention, the engine is coupled by means of the torque converter to the transmission to provide driving power. In addition, the engine is coupled to the hydraulic pump to provide hydraulic fluid under pressure to power the excavator functions. The upper structure cab includes two throttle controls for controlling engine speed while operating in the remote operating mode.