mystery loco?

[Anonymous]

Where my MOW data sheet on the all in one rail layer - ballast tamper etc......I think Plasser???

Need the sizes and all......please. or any MOW unit used on track. Give you a penny?

Toad

[tangerine-jack]

Very good!  Yes, it used to be an SD35, it was gutted, reworked and is now part of a 3 piece track geometry test train.  The ELEM 33.00 contains a power generator in the front (long) hood, several banks of computer equipment in the cab, and a very, very cold AC unit.  What makes it truly unique is the equipment, it is kitted out with an Applanix  POS (Position and Orientation System) cameras and vehicle-mounted terrestrial laser scanners, visible under the cab on the bogie.  Used for deformation monitoring in track geometry, integrated through Trimble GPS and it has all the bells and whistles.  This unit is towed, while the engineering crew rides in another specialy modified vehicle behind.

Good job in hunting down it's identity!

[EMPIRE II LINE]

Yea, Norfolk Southern #34 is a track geometry car.  It used to be Norfolk and Western SD35 #1530.  Norfolk Southern #34 now belongs to the Norfolk Southern Research & Tests Department and is in their Office Train paint scheme

How'd you know all of this, being clear out west there where you are ??

Byron C.

[Snoq. Pass RR]

Yea, Norfolk Southern #34 is a track geometry car.  It used to be Norfolk and Western SD35 #1530.  Norfolk Southern #34 now belongs to the Norfolk Southern Research & Tests Department and is in their Office Train paint scheme

[enginear]

Southwest has it I think. Used for measuring track geometry. cabless like a slug. Marked for research. Look at rrpicturesarchives.net for it and it's sister, Joe

[Southwest Chief]

Not sure of it's exact purpose but I know it's NS #34.  And I've seen it in photos of "track inspection" trains.  But not sure what #34 does.  And I think it didn't have a cab for a while.

Track Geometry?  Scale Test Car?  Other?  No clue, but it is sure one of the craziest contraptions I've seen.  Only reason I know of the NS 34 is because it looks so weird.

[Great Western]

It does seem to be a car concerned with track testing.  Research is marked on its side. 

[Anonymous]

  T J

A track x-ray machine that looks for bad track?????  BEN

[enginear]

See the top cut out and the half size fuel tank? It's to test crashes with crumple zones,

 ....... or how about the new T52 stealth rocket launcher?

[GearDrivenSteam]

Dynomometer car.

[feltonhill]

Is it a track load test car, measuring track modulus, something like that?

[Anonymous]

generator

[tangerine-jack]

You're in the ball park Ben......

[Anonymous]

 T J

 MAY BE IT has something to do with track laying or track alinement ???  ben

 

 

 

 

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[altterrain]

Hmmm....

-odd body configuration

-unusual color, not being the typical NS black

-small fuel tank

-non powered trucks 

-no dynamic brakes 

maybe some type of portable power generator? 

[tangerine-jack]

It's not wise to assume Cabbage.....  Are you sure those bogies are powered?

[cabbage]

I have a feeling that this is not a locomotive as such....

I has power bogies and fuel tanks -but I think this is what is sometimes called a "slug" in that it feeds its power from the main loco for its power bogies and feeds fuel and water to the loco. It is not self propelling in any form!!!

regards

ralph

[tangerine-jack]

OK mystery hounds, name this piece of equipment.  I know what it is, let's see if you can divine it's purpose.....