A DIESEL-ELECTRIC TRACK SWEEPER

To remove cinders and wagon spillings from the track, a combined diesel-electric scarifer, sweeper, and conveyor machine is now in service on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The scarifier consists of 18 curved strips of spring steel each having a detachable digging tooth. Ten of the prongs rake between the rails and the other eight outside the rails. The sweeper is a rotating broom comprising a metal shaft with a number of arms or brackets to which are bolted steel segments forming a closed cylinder. The train travels about 2 mph and the broom rotates at 100 rpm. Refuse is removed to a level just above the sleepers and is thrown onto a series of three conveyors, which deposit the sweepings into a series of hoppers. Photographs show the sweeper train and the sweeping equipment.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1949-12-9

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 680-81
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 91

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Equipment design; Maintenance of way; Subgrade (Pavements); Technology; Vehicle design
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Car design; Track maintenance equipment
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037891
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM