Patrick:
Very nice work on the Southern MoW cars!
What do you know about the lead and drone type track cars that were built by Southern in their Coster shops to carry track panels. I am starting to make a couple of them. Do you have any photos of these cars. There is one in the Southern Color Guide, and I saw some in Spencer in 1996.
There were two types of these cars:
Lead 991126 – 991127
The lead cars are used to lower the track panels. A photo of one is at the bottom right.
Drone 991101 - 991125
The drone car carry the track panels, and pass them to the lead car to be placed on the ground.
From the September 1966 Ties Magazine
Completed track panels move three at a time on powered roller chains into a line of special cars. Each car holds nine to ten panels. Panels already loaded are hydraulically lifted to allow the next set of panels to be moved in underneath. When the end car is loaded, power roller chains in the floor of the car can be activated to move the entire load of panels into the next car. These special cars are also equipped with devices to lower the track panels into place on the ground at the installation site.
I am looking for photos of the lead cars, and end shots of both types of cars.
The following photos are all from Ties Magazine.
Thanks
Tom