While watching the UPRR mainline from Portland, OR heading south to California, I witnessed the shortest train ever. It was a brand new Cat power unit with just one car. As best as I could tell the car owner was TRCX but there where tagging marks that obsured part of the letters. The train slowed at every crossing. The car was a flat car with 2 of the huge metal covers like Boeing uses to ship plane parts. Who could afford a 1 car train and where was it going. I witnessed it about 25 miles south of Portland in Canby, OR.
TRCX ????
According to the Trains Reporting Marks list TRCX is the Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority they operate a commuter rail and bus system in Florida. http://www.edsaplan.com/en/node/2292
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Special High/Wide/Heavy move.
Slowing down to clear signs and bridges by trainorder. (GCOR Bulletin C ...SAPOHS)
talldave While watching the UPRR mainline from Portland, OR heading south to California, I witnessed the shortest train ever. It was a brand new Cat power unit with just one car. As best as I could tell the car owner was TRCX but there where tagging marks that obsured part of the letters. The train slowed at every crossing. The car was a flat car with 2 of the huge metal covers like Boeing uses to ship plane parts. Who could afford a 1 car train and where was it going. I witnessed it about 25 miles south of Portland in Canby, OR.
Considering the route, it's possible that Boeing shipped a couple of pieces of aircraft needed for repairs at SFO, LAX or Travis AFB under those big metal covers. A train, if practical, is a lot less expensive than flying them in the White Whale.
Going back to the thread title, I've ridden aboard four-wheel diesel rail busses about the size of small school busses, running single unit. They met the Peter Josserand definition of a train...
Chuck
I live a true foamers dream, my living room is eye level with the engineers and 150 feet from the mainline BNSF going from Vancouver, WA heading east up the gorge. We get about 45 trains a day so I see lots of unusual cars. Normally the odd ones are DOD, dept of defense, so when I spotted a private care with this single engine it made me wonder. The DOD has 6 axle cars with a vertical tube like container in the middle that I have seen and I assume it is for some kind of weapon. DOD also has full train sets of flat cars for military vehicles which come out of Fort Lewis, WA.
The galloping goose, a 4 wheeled "bus" was used on many short lines for local transportation for many years. There still is one on the Hood River Railroad but not currently operating.