A Real Tractor Driver

J. Wondergem · Dec 31, 2008

Now this is a real tractor driver.

jay-eye-see · Dec 31, 2008

Interesting series of photos, It has been around awhile and on here at least a couple times. I am still skeptical however.

plow hand · Dec 31, 2008

I`ve seen that on an OSHA course I had to take. There is a cable hooked to the bucket that is pulling the tractor as well.

railhead · Dec 31, 2008

No it is real. Those hoes are equipped with special grapples and out riggers to grip the rail cars to climb on/off and down them to unload. It is a slow process especially getting on and off and the guys are real careful. I have heard them say you never get used to doing it.

jimva · Dec 31, 2008

That type of thing can be done without winch"s and assitance. You want to see some videos of stuff like this, just check out youtube. You would be quite surprised at some of the stuff done with equipment like this.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 31, 2008

Ovwer the years there seems to be quite a few people who can do that without any other stuff. I seen one near Norton KS unloading a big string of old type hopper cars.

Andy Motteberg · Dec 31, 2008

Saw all those posted a while back in Stuck & Troubled.

Patsdeere · Dec 31, 2008

There is one job I wouldn't be doing.

When they get to the other end of the train, how do they get off since they are obviously going forward? Do they walk themselves all the way to the end they came up on?

Anonymous-0 · Dec 31, 2008

My thoughts about doing something like that with a rubber tire backhoe, is you really must have to orchestrate those moves to be within the range of the front bucket and the hoe, so you don't get caught in a dead spot where you can't finish climbing up or get down. I cannot imagine what would happen if a hose broke either. The hydraulic pump on the backhoe used had best be in good shape too. Thinking back about all the ones I have operated in the past, some you could really shove yourself around with the hoe, others not so much, depending on how you position things etc., these must be customized for the application, and I'll bet more than one has fallen.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 31, 2008

It looks extremely dangerous to me. How exactly did he turn the hoe completely around to unload the next car? Dave

railhead · Dec 31, 2008

once they are on top, they can climb from car to car. No turning around.

oliver power · Dec 31, 2008

Seen them load and unload sideways from trailers. Never a rail car.

Wjt091 · Dec 31, 2008

Pretty neat stuff. Trains and tractors cant go wrong.
Youtube

Anonymous-0 · Dec 31, 2008

i run them machines for 35 years, never would attemp that.going to utube NOW

Patsdeere · Dec 31, 2008

Okay, but what about when they get to the end of the train (the end they didn't climb up on)?

george pickering · Dec 31, 2008

i have worked for the railroad for several years and we do some real strange things with a backhoe

railhead · Dec 31, 2008

they climb off. usually these cars are uncoupled from a locomotive. They can climb off opposite from how they got on.

Patsdeere · Dec 31, 2008

I get they climb off, but if they go up at the back of the train and walk themselves down the train, do they go off frontwards from the last car?

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jan 1, 2009

my guess would be that they uncouple last car form rest, then climb oof the back end after they pull away. If no engine, use backhoe arm to push the car forward away from others.

I noticed it uses a cable to pull itself forward along cars. appears to be a winch where front bucket would normally be.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 2, 2009

That sheds some light on it, they slide on top of the car, without seeing the video, you really had to wonder how they moved the backhoe forward after it's up to height. Still top heavy, what keeps the car from turning over when empty?

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