I saw this parked in Williams, AZ last week on my way to the Grand Canyon RR. Can anyone identify what it is, what it does? The rotating shaft "bristles" are made of rubber hose. Is it a snow clearing machine, a ballast sweeper?
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Ballast Regulator
As previously stated, ballast regulator. Usually you will find this piece of equipment with a myriad of other track maintenance equipment like a Jordan spreader, tie ejectors and so on.
Love the video, fascinating!
Gary,
Over on the C S X ( C & O, Chessie , L & N, etc, etc) we called that a ballast broom, and it would sweep the ties of ballast and force it from the top of the ties to between the cribs after the ballast regulator smoothed the shoulders and centers. We had to stay 150’ or so back to keep from being pelted with ballast. Noisy things when running with the ballast banging inside the rotary broom shroud.
STE
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