Odd Vehicles on Train Tracks
April 18, 2004 6:04 PM Subscribe
While walking through my school's campus, I saw some really odd vehicles on the train tracks...
What the hell were they!?
The best way I can explain these things are a cross between this and this.
They had the bare-bones construction of the first, with the "short-bus" style of the latter. As big as golf carts, they held 2-4 people. The engines were something you'd probably find in a golf cart, too.
I tried google but I'm probably not using the right keywords. Any help?
What the hell were they!?
The best way I can explain these things are a cross between this and this.
They had the bare-bones construction of the first, with the "short-bus" style of the latter. As big as golf carts, they held 2-4 people. The engines were something you'd probably find in a golf cart, too.
I tried google but I'm probably not using the right keywords. Any help?
They're also called "railbuses", and are low-cost alternatives to locomotives, trolleys and cranes.
Quite a number of them were built since the Great Depression; one of the most famous is the Galloping Goose.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:39 PM on April 18, 2004
Quite a number of them were built since the Great Depression; one of the most famous is the Galloping Goose.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:39 PM on April 18, 2004
Response by poster: It wasn't amber's link, nor was it a galloping goose. They're much smaller than those.
There were ~15 of them traveling together. It appeared to be a husband-and-wife affair... some sort of gathering of them.
They did hold out a 1 square foot orange flag at each road crossing.
posted by evilbeck at 6:43 PM on April 18, 2004
There were ~15 of them traveling together. It appeared to be a husband-and-wife affair... some sort of gathering of them.
They did hold out a 1 square foot orange flag at each road crossing.
posted by evilbeck at 6:43 PM on April 18, 2004
What you're describing could be a mini-tram; some models were custom made from old Sno-Cat tractors.
Then again, it may also be a UNIMOG variant.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:51 PM on April 18, 2004
Then again, it may also be a UNIMOG variant.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:51 PM on April 18, 2004
Response by poster: More specifically:
they're purpose-built, mimicking the same visual feel of an engine. It is as if they took the engine seen here and took just the part that isnt red.
The wheels were proportionate to the body, which was as wide as tall and long... a cube.
posted by evilbeck at 6:52 PM on April 18, 2004
they're purpose-built, mimicking the same visual feel of an engine. It is as if they took the engine seen here and took just the part that isnt red.
The wheels were proportionate to the body, which was as wide as tall and long... a cube.
posted by evilbeck at 6:52 PM on April 18, 2004
Not to derail, but how do you like OSU?
posted by Keyser Soze at 9:12 PM on April 18, 2004
posted by Keyser Soze at 9:12 PM on April 18, 2004
[after this message, we'll be right back on topic...]
Keyser - Having been there, and then left it for PSU, I'll say that it's great if you like drinking, greek parties, more drinking, huge classes full of drunk undergrads, and really really really huge classes full of drunk undergrads.
Seriously, in my opinion there's no way you're going to learn anything worthwhile in an 800 student lecture auditorium with no chance of particilpating and then an hour with a TA that may or may not speak english.
Depending on what you're going for, PSU is probably the best choice you could make if you're serious about learning.
[We now return you to your regularly scheduled AxMe thread]
posted by SpecialK at 11:13 PM on April 18, 2004
Keyser - Having been there, and then left it for PSU, I'll say that it's great if you like drinking, greek parties, more drinking, huge classes full of drunk undergrads, and really really really huge classes full of drunk undergrads.
Seriously, in my opinion there's no way you're going to learn anything worthwhile in an 800 student lecture auditorium with no chance of particilpating and then an hour with a TA that may or may not speak english.
Depending on what you're going for, PSU is probably the best choice you could make if you're serious about learning.
[We now return you to your regularly scheduled AxMe thread]
posted by SpecialK at 11:13 PM on April 18, 2004
(stunned with your honesty)
posted by Keyser Soze at 1:27 AM on April 19, 2004
posted by Keyser Soze at 1:27 AM on April 19, 2004
Response by poster: @homer got it!
Now I can sleep at night.
As far as OSU... specialk is right- lots of drunks, huge bacc-core classes. My math class had 250 people, though I was lucky to get the TA that spoke english.
The "large classes and lots of drunkards" statement is probably most accurate for the business program, though I can't authoritatively say that.
I'm in the fine arts program; within my major there are fewer drunks and smaller classes.
/derail
posted by evilbeck at 9:24 AM on April 19, 2004
Now I can sleep at night.
As far as OSU... specialk is right- lots of drunks, huge bacc-core classes. My math class had 250 people, though I was lucky to get the TA that spoke english.
The "large classes and lots of drunkards" statement is probably most accurate for the business program, though I can't authoritatively say that.
I'm in the fine arts program; within my major there are fewer drunks and smaller classes.
/derail
posted by evilbeck at 9:24 AM on April 19, 2004
PSU is not a bad school, and attending classes in downtown portland, with a light rail running through campus, is cool.
posted by mecran01 at 10:07 AM on April 19, 2004
posted by mecran01 at 10:07 AM on April 19, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by amberglow at 6:32 PM on April 18, 2004