Blessed Mother of MOW Machines, Look at This....

[ljudice]

The Green Max model is a tamper which would work with 1-2 ballast regulators following behind.

In front of the tamper would be   tie cranes,  tie inserter/remover (usually same machine),   spikers,  spike picker-upper, etc..

This is a tie/surface gang.

Depending on the size of the job they would have a small tamper or two - or one of these monsters.

Incidentally, the boxy shape of this model is part of many other plasser machines, so this is potentially a kitbashing dream
come true.

- Lou

[Scottl]

I'm still hung up on this.  I want one, but still having a hard time trying to reconcile it with what I find in N/A.

BTW, someone mentioned a second item earlier, and this is quite intriguing.  Here is the photo:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10285564b5/30/5

Any information on what this car is?

I do agree that these would be great kit bashing fodder, or might be domesticated with some detailing to bring out the mechanicals.  It might be well suited for  3D printing to make some complex dress up parts.

[ljudice]

BTW, assuming the "machine translation" is correct, the sound baffle is movable - perhaps removable.

The OTHER machine is a KSP2002 ballast regulator - which I don't think one would see in North America.

If you're waiting for something CLOSER to be offered, I'd say keep waiting.  I've been looking for this for 20 years.  Note, these large tampers are mostly seen on mainlines - at least when ever I've seem them.  It's likely this is because they work fast and spend less time tying up traffic.

137mm for the main unit is 60 feet in 1/160 scale, which seems right. It looks like a smaller machine than the US ones as Daniel suggested.

Here is a close relative of the 9-16 machine on BNSF:



Union Pacific:

The Model:

[Ian MacMillan]

As a MOW junkie UP, BNSF and Amtrak are pretty much the only places you would find this in NA. There are a few subcontractors that have them as well.

[ljudice]

As a MOW junkie UP, BNSF and Amtrak are pretty much the only places you would find this in NA. There are a few subcontractors that have them as well.

LIRR:



I am sure there are more.

[peteski]

LIRR:



I am sure there are more.

It still has the European buffers - neat!

[Ian MacMillan]

LIRR:

I did not know that LIRR/MN owned that one. Always thought it was a subcontractor.

[ljudice]

I did not know that LIRR/MN owned that one. Always thought it was a subcontractor.

I'm surprised too....   I also recall the NYCTA having a machine like this too....

[Ian MacMillan]

I'm surprised too....   I also recall the NYCTA having a machine like this too....

I do know some of the "transit" lines do have similar ones as the wheel bases seem to do wheel on the tighter curves and what not that the European machines seem to have. I've seen several line cars are very similar to European models, if not the same ones.

[VonRyan]

It's been a long time coming, but they finally have been released! Mine just arrived today.

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[ljudice]

Cool!!!!

What is your verdict on fitting in with 1/160 models?

[VonRyan]

Cool!!!!

What is your verdict on fitting in with 1/160 models?

Looks pretty darn good to me. Haven't set anything right next to it just yet. I'll toss my one and only waffle-side boxcar next to it for comparison.

Also, only the front (on the left in my photo) truck is powered. But both trucks pick up power. It feels pretty dang light to me. Could probably do with a tad bit of weight. I plan to add a decoder to it, so we'll see how things look when I peek inside.

[Kentuckian]

Also, only the front (on the left in my photo) truck is powered. But both trucks pick up power. It feels pretty dang light to me. Could probably do with a tad bit of weight. I plan to add a decoder to it, so we'll see how things look when I peek inside.

Cool. With sound?

[VonRyan]

Cool. With sound?

No sound, just a plain Digitrax hard-wire decoder.
The price on these jumped up a bit in the two years since they were announced, so a soundless decoder is fine with me.

[VonRyan]

For comparison purposes, I posed it with an Exact Rail waffle-side boxcar.

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Also, for those who are curious, here are the internals of the main unit:

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The 2-axle trailing piece just has lights inside, but I couldn't get the shell off to examine the components. The shell of the main unit was fairly easy to remove with only minor difficulty at the rear as the window glass has the locking tabs that hold the shell on, and the are quite large, and thus some care is required when removing the shell.