This is my first time posting and I don’t really know much abou trains. But I’m helping someone who is translating an Italian book into English. The train car in the book is called a “carrellino civetta” and it’s described as a special car that they put in front of a train, not necessarily to clear obstacles off the track, but it was a car that was put on the front of the train when there was a bomb threat, so that the “carrellino civetta” would take the bomb, get blown up, and thus protect the passengers. It also sounds like no one would ride in this car and the time period would have been the 1960s.
For reference, “carrellino” is the diminutive of “carrello”, which means a train car and “civetta” is an owl. So the literal translation would be “little owl car.”
I’ve been looking for an equivalent in English, but nothing seems quite right. It’s not a “guard car” and “pilot car” doesn’t seem to be a thing (even though pilot engines are). I’ve been thinking that “dummy car” might work. Does anyone have any thoughts on what it’s technical name might be in English?
Many thanks in advance!