A wheelskate, wheel skate, or axle dolly is a device used to lift the axle of a damaged or blocked rail wheel set and prevent it sliding over the rail. With the axle lifted and wheels off the rails, the train can be moved for repairs.
To be able to use a wheelskate, access to one side of the vehicle is required. This is especially important for the design of tunnel cross-sections.
Wheelskates are used by a variety of
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
s, both
passenger
A passenger (also abbreviated as pax) is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. The ...
and
freight
Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including transp ...
.
They enable the continued operation of rail lines that would otherwise be brought to a halt by a breakdown.
References
{{rail-transport-stub
Rail infrastructure