WWEX 9

Awesome!

Member since
March 2008
From: Austin, TX
851 posts

WWEX 9

Posted by Awesome! on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 7:57 PM

http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=42998

I never seen this type of helper. Can you guy's help me out?

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier

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Anonymous

Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 8:18 PM

If I'm not mistaken it's a power unit (a locomotive) for a rail grinding train.

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CShaveRR

Member since
June 2001
From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
13,681 posts

Posted by CShaveRR on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 8:42 PM

It's apparently the entire train--there are grinding wheels under the center part (covered to cut down on the flying sparks and metal filings). I don't know when a railroad would use one of these as opposed to the full train of three or four grinding units, a tank car or two, and a locomotive.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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mudchicken

Member since
December 2001
From: Denver / La Junta
10,820 posts

Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 10:09 PM

It's a 10-40 stone grinder (mini-grinder) used on switches, crossovers and road crossings where the bigger units (120 stones and up) are not supposed to go.

The Fairmont side of Harsco builds them, the Pandrol-Jackson side of Harsco operates them. (I saw something about DOJ contesting the Harsco monopoly by merger, but never heard the outcome.)

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west