Western Railroad Discussion > ID'ing MOW equipment . . .

Folks

Need some assistance (I admit I'm ignorant re: MOW equipment but that's why I love this site!) in identifying these three pieces of MOW equipment shot at Moss in Northern California . . . believe the first photo is a tamper(?).

thanks in advance!

Craig

---

---

---

The last one is a ballast regulator.

Pump

Last one I need assistance on ID'ing (see previous post).

Craig

---

spdaylight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Last one I need assistance on ID'ing (see previous
> post).
>
> Craig

Ballast tramper.

yesterday

---

First one is a Dynamic tamper. Looks similar to the last picture.
http://www.plasseramerican.com/en/p_tamping/094xdynamic.htm


Last one looks like a Stabilizer
http://www.plasseramerican.com/en/p_stabilizing/pts62.htm


Plasser American's website has a lot of pictures and explanations on their equipment. Just click on the "machines" link.

http://www.plasseramerican.com/index.htm

AL Bayer

althewelder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First one is a Dynamic tamper. Looks similar to
> the last picture.
> http://www.plasseramerican.com/en/p_tamping/094xdy
> namic.htm
>
>
> Last one looks like a Stabilizer
> http://www.plasseramerican.com/en/p_stabilizing/pt
> s62.htm
>
>
> Plasser American's website has a lot of pictures
> and explanations on their equipment. Just click on
> the "machines" link.
>
> http://www.plasseramerican.com/index.htm
>
> AL Bayer
is
correct ...

first one is a CAT(Continuous Action Tamper)- depending on if the CAT is 02X-03X-04X the tamper tamps 2-3-4 ties respectively and never stops using a piston for the tamping heads ... while the tamping heads are in the ground tamping the ties the machine rolls along at a snails but continuous pace ...

second one is a Dynamic Track Stabilizer(vibrates and compacts the track structure) and simulates train movements and eliminates or reduces train speed restrictions after the track is tamped which normally without a stabilizer would require a 30mph speed restriction ... i don't know how UP uses their restriction policy but on Amtrak track tamped and stabilized outside interlocking limits can be returned to service at normal speed ... track tamped and stabilized inside interlocking limits is restricted to 60 mph for 24hrs

third is a Kershaw Ballast Regulator ... the motorized dust collector and blower on the broom box behind the cab is to help mitigate the dust that enters the cab of the machine by sucking the dust out of the broom box before it gets under the machine

fourth is a production/switch tamper ... this machine has fixed heads and is not a CAT

fifth is a photo of a CAT-STABILZER-BMS being hauled by a locomotive ... this CAT tamper utilises the track stabilzer as a tandem which is attached to the tamper as a trailer unit ... on Amtrak an MDZ is where a CAT-STABILIZER-BMS(Ballast Management System) are all coupled together using a hook and link coupling system ... on Amtrak MDZ units can run under their own power as a train using signal rules and no form D's ... when the units operate seperately they use the 800 Norac rules and form d for movement on ABS ... the BMS is a glorified ballast regulator with a conveyor system that is equipped with knuckle couplers that can use MS-40 ballast cars with conveyors between the 2 power units ... the BMS can pick up and collect excess ballast along the RofW and either store it in it's own storage hopper or use the MS-40 cars and transport it to locations needing the stone and vice versa ... it can transport loaded MS-40 cars and drop ballast where needed



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/12 07:09 by Out_Of_Service.

Thanks guys . . this is the last 'piece of the puzzle' on a video I just completed on Western railroads.

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

Two more details.

While these "tampers" are of course packing ballast around the ties and "to tamp" is the verb to accomplish that, they also raise the track to a smooth surface and shift it to a true alignment. "Surfacing Machine" or "Production Tamper" are a little more precise names for the big units. They have very sophisticated controls to plot the shifts needed over a whole curve before surfacing, and have long range laser targets that can be set on fixed objects such as bridges or road crossings to the track is brought smoothly into these points.

A switch tamper has workheads that can shift laterally, to fit around the turnout rails that diverge from the straight rails. If not needed for a turnout, this tamper can tamp plain track.