Western Railroad Discussion > A Critter from Lomita

Here is what they are using for power for the ethanol terminal across the street from BNSF Watson Yard these days. When this photo was snapped, the (whatever do you call a critter driver?) had just raised the flanged wheels to move around to the other end of the cut of cars currently sitting on the north unloading track. No track switches for this fellow, just rubber-tire it to wherever you need to be and get back to work! The light wasn't the best with the sun hovering on the hazy western horizon, but seeing as this is the first time I've managed to find the thing I thought the grab-shot worthwhile.

How many loaded cars can a critter like this move? He seems to be fairly capable, but a string of 25 ethanol tankers must be tough to get moving and even tougher to stop again. I'll have to get back there sometime and watch him work.

Be safe out there -

- Kit

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

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There's a critter at Davenport too. They seem to have no problems moving the coal and slag loads around.

Tyson in Waterloo Iowa has one, total hoot to watch it attempt to move loaded tank
cars in a snow storm.

Here is another track car in use at a grain elevator in Whitetail, Montana, in 2005. Last I knew, it is still in use.

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Hey, Shuttlewagon has a web site! Interesting reading, especially the part about the older generations of critters getting traction by "borrowing weight from the railcars". It appears that they would lift up on the coupler, transfering some of the railcar weight to the critter. The downside to doing this was incresed shock transfer to the critter and the posibility of transferring to much weight so that the back wheels of the critter lift off the rail putting the whole thing on the ground.

http://www.shuttlewagon.com/

- Kit

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

Kit,
What happened to the ex-SP and IC GP's? Anybody know where they went?
—Mac

Before yesterday, it had been awhile since I'd been down there. My understanding is that the "corn yellow geeps" were replaced by the critter four or five months ago. IIRC they were on contract from Rail Switching Services. I've no idea where they've gone.

- k

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

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The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, Ca has a Shuttle Wagon, model SWX 40. It is rated at 24 loaded freight cars on level ground. I bet it can do this with no trouble, however I hope you have a good long time to let them air up. It doesn't build air too fast, not sure if our air compressor is working up to par. It does have train air, which works quite well. We use it for some switching in the yard, to keep the bigger locos shut down, to conserve fuel and such. This has power pin lifters in the cab, hydraulic coupler aligners (moves the coupler pocket right to left). It is quite a nice unit. We keep this on the rail most of the time. The previous owners had the tires filled with foam or gel or something. Whoever did the work, didn't put enough in, and one tire in particular sits kinda low, but works well on the rail. Since you can't go back and add more, we live with it or replace the tires. Heck two of these are even MU-able!

Here is a Dave Tomeraasen photo of our SWX 40!

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I seen a yellow GeeP out in West Colton west of Riverside avenue a month or so ago, maybe one of them ?


TCS - Ford used a big shuttlewagon at Miracloma for a while

Aren't these called "Trackmobiles?"
Or is that a proprietary name for one brand of Off-Rail Car Mover?

Jim Baker

Looks like Trackmobile is a product name, though the term may be in generic use for these sorts of critters.

Here's their product list on their website:
http://www.trackmobile.com/ourproductline.htm

- Kit

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

Cool machines . . neat to see the variety of schemes and designs. 'Dogh

MacBeau Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kit,
> What happened to the ex-SP and IC GP's? Anybody
> know where they went?
> —Mac


I believe that one or two of the ones that Kit posted are living in El Segundo...

JJ

A couple of critters working the BNSF Havelock shops, Havelock, NE. Yes, I know know there was a hair on the sensor. Fixed now.

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jjacob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MacBeau Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Kit,
> > What happened to the ex-SP and IC GP's? Anybody
> > know where they went?
> > —Mac
>
>
> I believe that one or two of the ones that Kit
> posted are living in El Segundo...
>
> JJ

Hey Jerry!

You mean at the Chevron Refinery? Do you have any idea when they leave the plant to exchange cars with UP and BNSF? I'd love to get a look at 'em.

- Kit

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

6088 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, Ca
> has a Shuttle Wagon, model SWX 40. It is rated at
> 24 loaded freight cars on level ground. I bet it
> can do this with no trouble, however I hope you
> have a good long time to let them air up. It
> doesn't build air too fast, not sure if our air
> compressor is working up to par. It does have
> train air, which works quite well. We use it for
> some switching in the yard, to keep the bigger
> locos shut down, to conserve fuel and such. This
> has power pin lifters in the cab, hydraulic
> coupler aligners (moves the coupler pocket right
> to left). It is quite a nice unit. We keep this
> on the rail most of the time. The previous owners
> had the tires filled with foam or gel or
> something. Whoever did the work, didn't put
> enough in, and one tire in particular sits kinda
> low, but works well on the rail. Since you can't
> go back and add more, we live with it or replace
> the tires. Heck two of these are even MU-able!
>
> Here is a Dave Tomeraasen photo of our SWX 40!

You should letter it up for the museum!

Hi Kit,

Chevron runs everyday or should I say every night. There is no real schedule that I can tell, I think that they usually run late so as not to tie up traffic on Sepulveda.

Here is the shot I took last month:

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/55458

JJ

JJ

That's a really cool shot! Looks like the middle of the night.

- K

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

It Was!

JJ