I saw this last night on the branch line in our town. It was moving about 5-8 MPH and was flinging rocks forward, presumably from the tops of the ties. What kind of machine is this and what is it for?
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Ballast regulator - as you noted, it'll clear the tops of the ties, and can also dress up the sides of the roadbed/ballast.
It'll usually be the last thing through after the tamper, I believe.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Kershaw Model 4600 (a Model 46 on steroids) ... so many variants built on that frame. Kershaw's excellent design is the machine of choice for most railroads. There still are 50 year old Model 26's (similar looking, but cable instead of hydraulic operation) still out there working hard.
Wait till he encounters a double broom
Fun fact: Most come with a built-in jack pad and turntable. Give them a piece of flat/straight track and they can swap ends in a heartbeat (1 man operation)
Shapes/dresses ballast, carries ballast to fill in holes, plows/distributes ballast (multiple variations of blade arrangement controlled by hydraulics, moves snow or sand/blowdirt, maintains the ballast section, improves drainage (you do not want ballast on top of ties and tie plates)... and then there are the brush cutting attachments where the rock thrower becomes a tree killer, mower, crane, etc.
MC, it sounds like you're describing a giant Swiss army knife.
But what do you mean by:
mudchickenWait till he encounters a double broom
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
It's a Kershaw Gandy Dancer?
Johnny
Model X dust generator, with grit option...
Paul of Covington MC, it sounds like you're describing a giant Swiss army knife. But what do you mean by: mudchicken Wait till he encounters a double broom
mudchicken Wait till he encounters a double broom
Enzoamps Model X dust generator, with grit option...
Reminds me of the description of a mower used by the Glenfield & Western Railroad (ca 1920's), which was said to be better at raising dust than cutting the weeds along the ROW...
Deggesty It's a Kershaw Gandy Dancer?
mudchicken Deggesty It's a Kershaw Gandy Dancer? Never got chorus line certification as a rock kicker.
Never got chorus line certification as a rock kicker.
tree68 Ballast regulator - as you noted, it'll clear the tops of the ties, and can also dress up the sides of the roadbed/ballast. It'll usually be the last thing through after the tamper, I believe.
Dang, I missed the ballast dumping. Thanks, for the info. I'll post a video soon.
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