Found a dead Critter on an industrial siding

[peteski]

What is it?

[ednadolski]

What is it?

Graffiti practice?

Ed

[CRL]

Kinda cool... whatever it is.

Why don’t you rescue and rebuild it?

[Bryn]

I think it's a Matisa Neptune Track Trolley, we had them over here in the UK during the 1980s.

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/otpmiscellaneous

[C855B]

I think it's a Matisa Neptune Track Trolley, we had them over here in the UK during the 1980s.

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/otpmiscellaneous

Good catch, that's it. I was reaching back into the dark cubbyholes of what I had learned about "industrial bombs" (as my railfan group called them), and kept migrating toward late-production Plymouth sub-20-ton models, to no avail.

My assumption it was a light industrial switcher turned out to be a red herring, anyway. It's actually MOW equipment, an instrumented track alignment detector with a bed for tools and supplies. That it was specialized maintenance equipment would explain why it would be over here in an apparent import situation; small plant switchers wouldn't be worth the cost to ship.

[peteski]

So it is not an industrial switcher?  Interesting.  Thanks Bryn!
So Pan Am must have stuck it on that siding for storage (or to simply forget about it).

This is where I found it. It is (or was) a siding for a chemical (paint) manufacturer.  That Google image shows a tank car spotted at the platform, but that photo might be few years old.

[Chris333]

It looks like part of a track maintenance train. Like those long yellow things that replace rail.

[brokemoto]

I am assuming that this is in our part of the country.  Where is it?  When this COVID-19 business settles, and, assuming that I do not get it, I can look for it the next time that I come home.

[Point353]

[peteski]

I am assuming that this is in our part of the country.  Where is it?  When this COVID-19 business settles, and, assuming that I do not get it, I can look for it the next time that I come home.

I posted link to its exact location in reply #5.  Tewksbury, MA, USA.

Thanks for that article Point353 - interesting info. So it was a mechanical recorder. Primitive, but it probably worked well.

I'm pondering that since this thing is self-propelled, maybe it was used to shove the car from the siding back to the main line to reduce the number of moves for the  local freight?

[nkalanaga]

"maybe it was used to shove the car from the siding back to the main line"

Which, in effect, would make it an industrial switcher!  A lot of grain elevators used to move cars with a farm tractor, or sometimes an old pickup truck.  The one tractor I saw, in the mid 70s in Washington, had a big steel plate welded to the front, with about ten feet of chain attached to the side of the plate.  There was a hook on the other side, and to pull a car, they would wrap the chain around the coupler, and fasten the loose end to the hook.  For pushing, they just put the plate against the coupler and pushed.  Naturally, it had no air brakes, so one of the elevator workers had to ride the car(s) to work the hand brake, especially when pushing.  Pulling, with only one car, the tractor could usually stop it with the hydraulic brake.  More than that needed the hand brakes.

[Bryn]

I stumbled across this by accident this evening, maybe a nice 3D printing project for someone?

[Bryn]

Someone has provided 3D artwork on Thingiverse if anyone is interested.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5543573

[peteski]

Good to know Bryn - thanks!

[sigpolo]

Interesting picture!

It is a Matisa Track Recording Trolley built by the Swiss company Matisa.
 
Neptune is a computer developed in Britain and installed in, I think, 13 vehicles owned by British Rail for a faster evaluation of track measurement in compare with that the operator analyses a graphical representation on paper.

Only a few of these vehicles were shipped to the US. I am trying to identify which vehicle manufacturing number ended up at which railroad. In this case a close up of the manufactures plate, just below the side window would be great. The mfg. no consists of 3 figures.

Looking at the map showing the siding, I am guessing this is Boston and Maine RR territory. Is my guess correct?

BM did purchase one in 1962, and numbered it BM 500. However, the picture shows a TF-1 65002. Of course, if this is the original BM trolley, the number can have changed since or the trolley can have changed ownership. Anyone, having an idea regarding vehicle numbering and what TF is short for?
Any thoughts?