They probably have all the equipment to do whatever it is they need to do. They may not need to pick up a rail. They may be maintaining the diamonds or the i-bonds around the diamond.
Many gang trucks have booms that can pick up a rail and a front end loader can move a rail around.
If trains are "bouncing" then that's not a rail thing, that's a surface issue and for that they probably need a tamper. Or a track gang can use the hydraulic or air powered hand tampers and track jacks to spot raise it.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
http://trn.trains.com/videos/webcams/2014/09/bnsf-and-union-pacific-in-rochelle-il
They are out there 3-4 days a week inspecting the double diamonds. I think once I saw a front end loader, but usually it's just one truck with 2 guys or 2 trucks with 4 guys and one guy doing something and everyone else watching for at least half the day.
Last week the cars and engines were bouncing pretty good across one of the diamonds. Today the sparks are flying a good 10 feet and they are using a gas powered tool to grind or cut a rail.
I realize back in the day, they laid the transcontinental railroad with manpower and hand tools, but that was then. How much can they actually do without equipment to replace a rail?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley