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Will,

Right on the nose with the UP ownership. UP has maintained its own test cars for a long time.

This is one of the units with both magnetic induction and ultrasonic transduction testing equipment. The ultrasonic can detect much finer defects such as lateral cracks or the dreaded inverse fissure, a usually invisible crack which runs from inside to outside of the center section of the T rail. The weight of a passing train can cause the rail to shatter along this crack and literally split in half horizontally.

I am embarrassed to admit that I cannot for the life of me remember the model number or manufacturer of this unit (I believe it is a Plasser). Everyone I know who is familiar with it calls it the "Winnebago" due to its forward sloping "brow."

BTW, last I head Sperry had retired most of the original Brill units (doodlebugs), although keeping a couple around for backups. From what I have read, they are being pretty good about sending them off to museums instead of the scrap yard.

Thanks Sperry...

Tom

Here's the link to the Walthers HO model. Very kewl little unit, I've been contemplating getting one meself.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-6271

rockislandmike

http://www.heatherandmichael.com/recklessandveiled/

I WAS WRONG!

That isn't a Sperry Caar - it's a UP-owned test car. That'll teach me to look more closely at the photograph...

However, I think it serves the same purpose as the Sperry cars do.

B-Dubya out -

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Modelling the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway in HO

Inside every GE is an Alco trying to get out...apparently, through the exhaust stack!

That cute little feller is a Sperry Rail Services inspection car. It tests rail for hidden defects. That's a newer car - SRS also have (had?) a number of old "Doodlebug" cars that had been rebuilt (available in HO scale from Walthers).

SRS is a contractor, hiring out their services to railroads as needed. They've been around forever. The cars conduct various tests to detect hidden flaws in the rail. They use electromagnetic and ultrasound testing, while travelling at low speed (under 10 mph). SRS also has a fleet of hi-rail panel trucks, which have ultrasound equipment only. We tend to see the trucks up here ("here" being Nova Scotia).

For more information, there's this nifty little article: http://www.cnde.iastate.edu/ncce/UT_...1/Sec.6.1.html

B-Dubya out -

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Modelling the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway in HO

Inside every GE is an Alco trying to get out...apparently, through the exhaust stack!