what is this thing
K
Appears to be a water car that would have been found in some trains during dry times, MoW trains, etc.
Note what appears to be a loop of hose wrapped up on the left side of the car, and the fire extinguishers on the right hand side.
its got a motor
Yup I believe that to be a Fire service piece of equipment. Nice Mow car.
It’s a street sprinkler.
It was used by streetcar companies to keep dust down on unpaved streets.
Some cities made the traction companies use them in exchange for letting the company lay track in the streets.
After the streets were paved there was no use for them,so most were converted for other uses.
Your model is missing the trolley pole on top.
Carl T.
[#ditto] The flat platform on top of the tank is meant for mounting the pole. Giveaway is the control stands on the car’s end platforms (which have the usual curved streetcar shape.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
chooch I sent that info to the seller lets see if it gets posted
Neat model. That would look great on a rip track with weeds growing all over it.
I agree, thanks Budliner now I might bid on it, lol.
Did they spray water or oil on the road?
Ill bid on it as well…just to drive up the price.
David B
trolley sprinkler. Its missing the trolley pole.
Streetcar lines were given the responsibility of street maintenance, streets back then were often dirt, or cleaned with water, and there were even work cars fitted with brushes to sweep the road/rails. Sometimes I drive around and theres this trucklike thing with a brush sweeper, thats a remnant style from the streetcars.
What would the purpose be for that “shaft” that runs the length of the unit? it is the part that extends past both ends. Kinda reminds me of a driveshaft of sorts but that would not make sense to locate a drive shaft off center that far. It sits way to close to the decking to act like a hose spool.
Water sprayer. The actual car runs from electrical overhead using electric motors right on the wheels themselves like any streetcar does.
Water , this one’s a small single trucked one. larger cities like Chicago and Boston used double trucked ones with enclosed cabs.The water not only kept the dust down on the streets, but in teh early years of electric of streetcar systems (1890’s) they aslo served as a health service, the washing down of the streets kept contaiminents down and helped fight off summer diseases that could be spread via horse manure which was a constant on city streets back then.
Rob