I was running errands this morning and in my way through town (to the train store) I saw something unusual in my rearview mirror as I passed the Amtrak station. After I completed my shopping, I did a U-turn and found these parked across from the Amtrak station and the NS office. Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
Sperry cars for testing rails for cracks. Most of their older stuff was built from trolley cars and gas electrics . How often do you see St. Louis trucks running around on railroads?
A St. Louis Car doodlebug. SAL 2023, before it was sold in 1945. It has been in a museum in Danbury, CT.
The one the Reverend Mr. John found was also still in service back then. It retired in '03, at the patriotic age of 76.
These photos brought back memories from an old friend. He graduated from college as an electrical engineer in 1947 and hired to ride New York Central's predecessor to the Sperry car. He said it was wonderful fun for a brand-new engineer, testing track throughout the Central's core and all its affiliates. I don't remember all the different defects the car found. Though it was scary listening to him because many were the same tracks I rode at the same time. He ran at all times, day, night, weekends, so to not block traffic, but he said the food was great. Then he met his future wife, and NYC became history.
Interesting how the "geometry" was still OK on those old cars after all those years. And they say the steel of the early 20th century wasn't very good. Bah! Doug
It is "Low-background steel" with no radioactive contamination. It is sought after for some specialized equipment like devices that require the highest sensitivity for detecting radionuclides.
It's just that some jokers claim the Titanic really sank because of the inferior steel with which she was constructed. Let's ignore that she hit an iceberg. Doug
The Brits have a gold mine of that from the German High Seas Fleet that was scuttled at Scapa Flow in 1919 after WWI.
Here a brand new one from the other side of the "pond" (Italy). But the most "inusual" one is the Rail Infrastructure Division diagnostic High Speed train, based on the 300kph ETR500, here in Milano Central station. This, of course, can go only on electrified lines, not a problem in Italy as ALL mainlines, and more than some branchlines are under wires; for the others, see above. Same stock of the regular Frecciarossa trains, also another one of the regulars was converted to High Speed freight service. was able to replace the links with pictures
By the way here one Sperry 200 just pictured at Rome Main station curiously it has the same livery than its US brothers....