Arne Martin drives Norway’s first HUDDIG 1260D Rail with driven railway wheels

For the last 10 years, Arne Martin Lundhaug has run his contracting company, with three employees in Kongsvinger, in Norway. He started his business out of pure interest already at the age of 22 and today he is a well-known and established entrepreneur. With his two HUDDIG machines he performs service and maintenance work on the railway such as the neutralization of rails, sleeper replacements, setting up lines for cables, fibre ploughing and other excavation work. In the winter he complements with line building and snow clearance.

– My new HUDDIG 1260D was the first machine in Norway with driven railway wheels. I got it in February 2019 and since then it has been in operation at full capacity. The wheel drive makes a very big difference, for example when passing axle counters called ERTMS in Norway, points and other unevenness near tracks.

Arne Martin describes his two HUDDIG machines as efficient and versatile, especially on the railway.

– The machines are quick and easy to drive onto and off the rails. I have the equipment in the bucket and with the lift we can easily switch between rail work and maintenance of poles and line building as required. If we need to move onto the road, it also runs well in traffic, unlike pure excavators. They’re not so good to drive any longer distances on ordinary roads.

Being a flexible and service-oriented subcontractor to larger companies suits Arne Martin perfectly. He has regular assignments throughout southern Norway, as well as elsewhere in the country.

– To be able to quickly take on jobs further away, I have bought a rather low, customized trailer, that doesn’t build as much heightwise. A HUDDIG is almost 4 metres high and with a regular trailer, the height can be a limitation. With our own trailer, however, we can drive in more places and get the machine in place without being dependent on other carriers.

For Arne Martin, Huddig was already early the obvious brand choice, a decision that he and his employees are very pleased with. Their great interest in machines means that they constantly develop their driving skills.

– I was looking for the best and for me it was HUDDIG without doubt. Getting into a HUDDIG in the morning is like putting on your work clothes. The machine feels like an extension of my mind and the driving sensation is incredible. It makes us better drivers.

Arne Martin and his employees spend a lot of time in the machines and already at the purchase, he chose to invest in auxiliary lights, stereo systems and other extra equipment to increase job satisfaction. His HUDDIG gets a lot of attention when he is out on assignments. The machine stands out from the crowd, which he regards as a big plus and also an opportunity to make his business known.

– Making the machine a bit more personal was important to me, even if the function, of course, is the highest priority. Wherever I go, it becomes a talking point, which means that I get to know other HUDDIG owners as well as clients. The job becomes more fun and that means a lot.

At delivery, he visited both Huddig’s production in Sweden and the dealer, Bamble.

– It was quite fascinating to experience the precision that is used when a HUDDIG is manufactured. And to be able to follow the final assembly of my machine made me even more of a HUDDIG fan. I now understand what quality it is right through. A top notch machine quite simply, Arne Martin concludes.