Rail car mover attachment and related method of use

A rail car mover attachment comprising:

• a base including a first rail car coupler having a first latch;
• a lock pin movably mounted relative to the first rail car coupler;
• an air compressor mounted on the base;
• an air circuit in fluid communication with the air compressor and configured to convey pressurized air;
• a coupler latch solenoid joined with the air circuit and operably coupled to the lock pin to move the lock pin relative to first latch to at least one of couple and uncouple the first rail car coupler to a corresponding second rail car coupler on a rail car;
• an air line in fluid communication with the air circuit and configured to join with a brake line of a rail car that is further in fluid communication with a brake of the rail car;
• a power cord coupled to an electrical junction box mounted to the base, the power cord configured to electrically couple the electrical junction box to a power system of equipment to which the attachment is joined;
• and
• a remote removably mountable in a cab of the equipment, the remote in communication with the electrical junction box, the remote including an emergency actuator configured to cause the brake of the rail car to actuate when the emergency actuator is manually actuated by an operator, and a controlled stop actuator configured to cause the brakes of the rail car to be applied in a controlled manner via the remote when the controlled stop actuator is manually actuated by the operator.

A method of using a rail car mover attachment, the method comprising:

• coupling a base including a first rail car coupler having a first latch to a piece of mobile equipment;
• removably coupling a power cord to a power system of the mobile equipment;
• powering an air compressor;
• pressurizing an air circuit in fluid communication with the air compressor;
• joining an air line, in fluid communication with the air circuit, with a rail car brake line that is in fluid communication with a brake of the rail car;
• providing a receiver adjacent the base;
• and
• removably mounting a remote in a cab of the mobile equipment, the remote including a transmitter in wireless communication with the receiver, an emergency actuator configured to cause the brake of the rail car to actuate when the emergency actuator is manually actuated by an operator, and a controlled stop actuator configured to cause the brakes of the rail car to be applied in a controlled manner via the remote when the controlled stop actuator is manually actuated by the operator.