| Posted by on September 26, 2007 | |
Excellent photo.
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Good catch! Guess there aren't any Safety Inspectors to worry about nearby!
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Unique shot, but that seems like the Stupidest / most dangerous way to move grain hoppers.
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A little more info about the tractor: Built somewhere between 1958-60 and had about 70 drawbar horsepower. Its nickname was "Mr Mighty". Although John Deere envisioned their tractor collecting grain to feed the voracious appetite of the grain car, I rather doubt Mr Deere intended "Mr. Mighty" to move the railcar around or else he would have equipped it with couplers. In fairness to the operator, he didn't appear to move the cars to interchange, simply move them a few feet to line up the hoppers with the conveyor belt to the grain elevator. However, I suspect that lots can begin to happen in a few feet once gravity takes over, Mr Mighty or not. All in all, I'm still pretty impressed with Mr Deere's product 50 plus year later. Scott
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That's awesome! Only a Canadian thing! I'm proud to be Canadian!
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| Posted by lumpum on September 26, 2007 | |
Im more impressed with the strength of that flimsy chain!! I've seen better chain on a swingset!
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I would not be very proud as a Canadian by this -- I think this, if it is true, is illegal. Unfortunately, this means Transport Canada will likely be paying this facility a visit in the near future..
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I guess they needed a Traction motor.
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Cool shot! Not to be performed by the faint of soul but it is repeated daily in the cornbelt! I can think of at least 10 elevators in Ohio that do things the same way.
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| Posted by billnict on September 26, 2007 | |
I used to see this all the time at the grain elevator in my home town on the Rock Island (UP Lost Springs sub today.) It was a two-man operation with one man driving the old tricycle Farmall tractor and the other man on the rail car manning the hand brake. Lots of dust and dirt flying through the air but once the rail car got moving it was pretty effortless for the tractor.
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| Posted by Nikko P on September 26, 2007 | |
Wow this is a keeper. Isn't that illegal? I can't imagine moving hoppers with a little tractor is safe, efficient, or for that matter, sane.
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Just remember.."Nothing runs like a Deere"
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Really says a lot about the quality of the machine when the newest visible part on the tractor is the seat!
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| Posted by SDP45 on September 28, 2007 | |
There is a grain facility in central Washington state that pushes their cars with an 8 wheeled Steiger tractor. Sure beats the old Army truck they used years ago.
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I used to do this myself back in 1973 at the grain elevator I worked at in Orrick Missouri. It worked quite nicely with the Ford diesel they had if you keep the speed really slow.
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Does there appear to be a de-railer ahead of the tractor?
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