Work Car 1011- Dump Car

[Dave Buczkowski]

While Bill and I were at the Amherst Show today we found RowMow Mfg.'s next project:
It may need a bit of re-gauging though... Since Mike might need some prompting I thought maybe this space could be used to "gauge" interest in the project.
Dave

[Steve Smith]

Wow, Dave! Isn't it amazing how much weight you can support on a few of those display tables shoved together? 

[James Patten]

Mike and I were discussing on the way back to Maine this afternoon.  I think it's safe to say that ROWMOW Mfg isn't terribly interested in that project.

[Brendan Barry]

Might make a nice place to park the Turner Center car next year. 

[Mike Fox]

I see Zack looking it over. I think the paint was still wet when I looked at it this morning. And yes, there is no danger of something like this rolling through the doors of ROWMOW Mfg. But then again, I could take the tip car and put a turntable under it......

[Wayne Laepple]

About 30 years ago, I helped build a similar dump car. We used the dump box from a Model AA truck and a hand-cranked boat winch to raise the box. Later we refitted an electric winch from a wrecked Jeep. The rig was mounted an a channel iron frame with a set of heavy-duty push car wheels. It was very handy for doing spot surfacing work where a small amount of ballast was required to raise a low joint, for example. It could be towed behind the tamper or with a hy-rail truck.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Wayne, so we'd need to hi-rail a Model AA truck? Steve, you're the engineer but with four tables, one under each wheel, doesn't that distribute the weight enough? James, are you sure you didn't misunderstand Mike on the ride home? I'm sure he's at the design table as I type this...
Dave

[Wayne Laepple]

I hav yet to see a practical two-foot gauge hy-rail vehicle. The folks at Puffing Billy in Australia have determined that even a 30-inch gauge hy-rail (Toyota pickup) is not quite workable. The Brookville or Big Joe would have to do the job for us, I think. If we had one of those heavy-duty steel mill flats to mount the dump box on we'd be in good shape. Now I'll have to root around and see if I can find a photo of the car I helped build. Please stand by.

[John Kokas]

Actually that looks pretty cool.  Wonder what it would take to power operate something like that with a takeoff from an air brake system?  I would think something like that would come in real handy during construction coming down the "mountain".

[Stephen Hussar]

I like Brendan's comment...guess I'm not the only one who thinks it's a cool idea.

SH

[Dave Buczkowski]

Steve;
It's already under discussion for next year. The idea was favorably received by the Amherst people. Brendan has helped make it possible.
Dave

[Bill Reidy]

I agree, Stephen -- the Turner Centre Dairying Association car would make a fine display at the Big E show next year.  Dave:  I knew there was discussion among the museum folks about the idea yesterday -- I didn't know the discussion had also progressed to the Amherst Railway Society folks as well and was well-received.  That's great news.

Thanks again Brendan for the terrific find and purchase of the trailer!

- Bill

[Mike Fox]

All Done. Just pushed it out the door.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Mike,
It looks like you forgot the turntable and you'll have to remove the Joskin logo and replace it with a RowMow Mfg one. You've go the lifting mechanism integrated quite nicely. Otherwise it's looking good! There must have been a warm spell in Sheepscot as I note the grass is a healthy green...
Dave

[John McNamara]

Once upon a time, we used one of the old tip cars for spreading ballast. In fact, an early version of the WW&F brochure shows me in my favorite track crew role (dead weight) stabilizing the tip car during the dumping process. We found that the ballast landed up too far away from where we wanted it. In short, I think that ROWMOW Manufacturing will have dissatisfied customers if it completes the project beyond the concept (and grass growing) stage previously illustrated.

-John