WC/Power Wagon on rails

I don't think this is a WC, but the extended cab is cool. Check out those rail wheels. Maybe in France? Post this link in a new browser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSPQTR4-eks

Sounds like it's got a diesel in it?

Sounds like it's got a diesel in it?

Click to expand...

My brother said the same thing about my M37. That is coming from people who are not used to the unique sound of the flat head 6 and the whining gears. I guess it does sound a bit like a diesel when you are going along.

Pretty neat! Took a lot of work to make that, well, work!

Pretty cool, time to play everyone's favorite game, where are the rails and are we still on them!

Sad part is some of the line I run trains on looks just like that...

I'll add some pics soon.

A still pic

That PowerWagon looks like this one I found on MoPar Norm's photo pages:

RE: A still pic

There were no rubber tires. Wonder if it's a RR service truck. How would a person know when of if a train was comming? How would you get it off the track or out of the way?

RE: A still pic

Usually, the folks who run the railtrucks are working for the railroad, and are in contact with the station, and KNOW when to be on the rails, and when to be off.

Judging from the look of those rails, there were NO trains that could make it without derailing to hit the truck. Just because it has rubber wheels on it in the photo doesn't mean they didn't take the tires off and put rail wheel rims on. There were actually sets of railroad rims manufactured during WWII and Korea that would bolt right up to the jeep lugnuts.

This picture is from the Ft. Eustis transportation museum. If you look closely, they made the wheels out of CCKW Rims with a center welded in and the bolt pattern drilled out.

Mangus, how about starting a MV railroad and making me or Freight Train the moderator?

Military RR Engine

Here is a little something to wet the military locomotive whistle. Built for overseas service (Whitcomb 65 ton) pulls passenger trains today. Saved from the torch by the man pictured in the cab and others. The old girl runs good (Cat powered today) and is grateful for her new life. The number is incorrect but I can't think of the correct one right now. To be changed one day, right now unintentional tribute to sister engine that didn't survive. Also have Baldwin switcher and GE switcher both ex military.

Somewhere in my 35mm photo archives is a deuce with rail wheels I happened on in Korea.
It was being used as a switcher in an army depot where we went to pick up some (then)new 900 series 5 ton cargo trucks.
I'll post when I find them.

February 17th, 2008.

In WWII, Korea, and probably Vietnam, it was not unknown for the US ARMY Transportation and the Signal corps to modify Jeeps, Dodges, and Dueces for railroad service in the European and Asian theatres, even the MB's served as locomotives in the Phillipines. The adaptation wasn't unknown for civillian vehicles either, prior to the advent of HY-Rail units in the 1950's, The Chittina Valley Autorailer Railway in Alaska used at least one Chevy CCKW as a locomotive, along with a Ford "TT" truck, and the tracks were treated like a toll road if you had a vehicle that could fit the guage. The Whitcomb's pretty nice, glad I don't have to run it or fix it (The Pennsylvania Trolly Museum in Washington,Pa, has a 1942 H.K.Porter from the Navy along with a 1930 Baldwin Westinghouse Diesel in their collection (Both operable), and the Italian State Railways have several rebuilt Whitcombs from WWII still running as switchers and branchline train locomotives. The early BROOKVILLES and PLYMOUTH locomotives started out using Model T,A, and Fordson tractor guts as the power plants. Thanks for the video, it was quite interesting!!
Three Cheers and a Tiger,

Sincerely,

Kyle F. McGrogan
1963 Swiss Mercedes Benz Unimog S404.114 (Easily adapted to locomotive use)
1971 KAiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" TWO WARS and Counting (Vietnam & Desert Storm).

Here are two pictures of a French Dodge WC51 fitted with RR wheels. Both the British, US and French used those, together with Jeeps fitted the same way.

The WC could pull pretty big loads by itself, the Jeeps were often used in pairs to do the same job.

The French also used Dodge WC51's with armor plating in Vietnam in the early 50's.

Would be interesting to make up a set of those RR wheels and drive along some deserted railroad track....

Goran N
Sweden

It appeared that the line in the video was abandoned (or at least very under used).
They are pulling up abandoned lines in the US at an alarming rate due to the liability issues of leaving the rails and bridges in place.
I would love to put train wheels on a deuce and ride the rails.