UP Work Train?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Greetings, While driving on the KS/MO border I saw what I believe is a work train, but I’ve never seen such a thing before. Maybe you guys can tell me what is is. Sorry, I didn’t have a camera with me at the time, but I’ll try to describe it.

Written on it was HERZOG and MPM VII

It was Bright yellow with a very simple “locomotive” at one end and just a cab at the other end. It had, as I recall, 4 interconnected flat cars between with a small crane that looked as if it could run up and down the flat cars.

Any ideas?

2

What you saw was almost certainly a rail inspection and repair/grinding train. Herzog is an outfit that performs such service for the railroads who (for many reasons, mostly economic) chose not to do such work themselves.

3

all i know is NS uses HERZOG a lot through here.

4

Based on the description, and having seen a similar type train [as described]at Hardy, Ark on BNSF, I would suspect that what you saw was a train designed to lay concrete ties.

5

I also know Herzog does a lot of work with the track after derailments, or at least on the BNSF out here. I’ve seen that weird train that you did in the BNSF yard right after a large derailment, so I agree it probably has something to do with track inspection and/or repair.

6

Ditcher equipment… (i.e. Drainage-drainage-drainage…similar use to GRR’s “slot machine”)

7

Thanks guys. I went back to the siding the next day to get some photos, but, of course, it was gone.

8

I beleave this is what you saw. Railroad65

http://www.herzogcompanies.com/rrservices/mpm.php

9

Yep, that is what I saw. Thanks.

10

that goes for CSX too they had or still have about 20 cars of Herzog here and use it time to time besides the CSX orange and other ones.

kevin