Aldon Rail Wheel Chocks

Why Use Wheel Chocks?

A gust of wind is enough to cause a 118000kg freight car to start rolling. Thanks to roller bearings, freight car wheels offer very little resistance to movement.

The contact area of each wheel on the rail is smaller than the size of a 5 cent piece. This is why moving heavy loads by rail is so efficient!
All of this mass needs to be securely blocked while the car is being worked on.
Loading freight cars increases the strain on the car brakes.
Liquid pouring into a tank car or a forklift moving back and forth in a boxcar create dynamic forces which can overcome the holding power of the brakes.
Slack in mechanical car brakes can be enough to allow a wheel to move forward a few inches and dislodge a dock board or strain a hose line.

This why OSHA mandates the use of wheel chocks in addition to car brakes wherever rail cars are being worked.

Aldon Chocks have the Edge

In 1955 Aldon Company introduced cast steel chocks with the unique feature of replaceable spurs (or teeth).

The spur is the key to effective chocking.
Under wheel pressure the spur bites into the hard, smooth surface of the rail to keep the chock from sliding.
But eventually, like the blade of a knife, the spur edge will become dull from use.
A dull spur can’t bite into the rail to keep the chock from sliding.
You can keep the sure grip of an Aldon wheel chock by turning the spur to three new sharp edges and then replacing the spurs at nominal cost instead of buying a new wheel chock.

Please download the document for information on choosing the correct wheel chock for your application and information on the range of wheel chocks available.