Eastern Railroad Discussion > Sperry Truck SRS 456 in Vermont..

A couple images of the newer model Sperry Rail Services (SRS) truck 456 working on the New England Central Railroad's Roxbury Subdivision in Vermont. While I did take more descriptive images, these two show the truck at work and the front and rear view. Thought I'd share this interesting test vehicle...

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That is one very clean very nice Sperry Ford. It looks to be a F450 or F550 Super Duty Truck. Besides trains I specialize in Ford vehicles. Once again very nice:) Greg

Nice pics. What does this test for or do?

VFPNSFAN Wrote:
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> Nice pics. What does this test for or do?


rail defects by using an ultrasound method to see inside the rail



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/11 17:08 by Out_Of_Service.

Have never seen anything like that. Pretty cool . .

Interesting, never seen one based on a pick-up before. Test equipment getting a lot more compact. ;-)

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
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> VFPNSFAN Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
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> > Nice pics. What does this test for or do?
>
>
> rail defects by using an ultrasound method to see
> inside the rail

You are correct.

The picture of the rear shows the carriage that drops onto the rails with the test equipment. This one has three Rolling Search units (RSUs) for each rail. No induction equipment. After the 1990's a lot of the larger trucks have been equipped with the (magnetic) induction component of rail testing, whick is what Sperry was all about. Adding induction is what kept the rail bound former doodlebug type cars in service in so many places for so long. AFAIK the only part of induction testing that cannot be duplicated on the trucks is the mysterious third current which eliminated existing magnetic interference in the rail for a better test. The earlier trucks basically did what this smaller, and can I say it, uglier critter here can do. I worked on the big cars for a couple years in the 1990's, never worked on the trucks but harassed a few who did.

Can't wait to see this testing by some Safetrans hooded signals on a railroad that no longer has codeline poles near where everyone's favourite interlocking tower used to be.

Jim