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electric_blue68

(25,623 posts)

8. One of the railroad Track Maintenance Monitoring things my dad did during WW2....

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 03:13 PM

Dec 6

It was a specialized sleep away/galley car with 3 or 4 people.

They had these metal brushes that swept over the rails. These would send electrical signals to, I think, oscilloscopes.

What they were looking out for was hidden rail metal fatigue, particularly because the rails were experiencing massive increases in load bearing during the war.

The rails would start to hollow out from the inside - so totally hidden!
But it would be indicated by a difference in the electrical signals displayed.
I think they sprayed red paint at those spots for the repair crews.

Three days for repairs?! Doesn't sound very good. Maybe depends on what needs repairing.
________________________
On rare occasions at night while in the subway I've seen a practically windowless car come through. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was doing the same monitoring.

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Silent Type jfz9580m area51

28 replies

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Highlight:

Railroads will be allowed to reduce inspections, rely more on technology to spot track problems [View all] BumRushDaShow Dec 6 OP

Someone is making bank. cbabe Dec 6 #1

Have no doubt technology can handle a lot of monitoring. It's a least an aid to inspectors. Silent Type Dec 6 #2

The tech will take time and money to implement. JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 7 #26

Cutting jobs. Eh, if there's a derailment who's really going to get hurt? underpants Dec 6 #3

Using technology is a good thing FredGarvin Dec 6 #6

It's less (good) jobs and less safe. underpants Dec 6 #11

Yup, it's mostly low income folks who live near freight rail tracks IronLionZion Dec 6 #12

Exactly. 👍 underpants Dec 6 #15

It's in their own best interest to inspect the tracks. Gore1FL Dec 6 #4

Europe used this tech for decades FredGarvin Dec 6 #7

Technology is good FredGarvin Dec 6 #5

But the use of these technologies is being pushed over human inspections displacedvermoter Dec 6 #9

It is not about technology jfz9580m Dec 6 #17

This would be a fine OP by itself. yonder Dec 6 #18

Thank you yonder jfz9580m Dec 6 #19

Preventive tech is great fujiyamasan Dec 7 #27

One of the railroad Track Maintenance Monitoring things my dad did during WW2.... electric_blue68 Dec 6 #8

Interesting post jfz9580m Dec 6 #20

Cool! Glad you found it interesting. I hope you felt better as the day went on! electric_blue68 Dec 6 #21

They use remote control instead of engineers now Emile Dec 6 #10

I guess that folks can still sue them if negligent on maint., etc. But they probably, being a carrier, have some law SWBTATTReg Dec 6 #13

What could possibly go wrong? n/t TygrBright Dec 6 #14

"Hold my beer" n/t Cirsium Dec 6 #16

Good Idea reduced inspections and maintenance worked great in eastern Ohio in 2023 Botany Dec 7 #22

And railroads would NEVER cut corners on safety to save money with human crews! hatrack Dec 7 #24

Or hire an environmental firm to do the clean up as was the case in Palestine, OH whose advice was ..... Botany Dec 7 #25

krasnov continues at his record settig pace to kill Americans - for his own personal profit!! lark Dec 7 #23

The technology probably needs inspected too. Sneederbunk Dec 7 #28