Feeler car

I saw the feeler car...the mate to the destroyed car from the Federal Triangle accident, at Brentwood Yard this morning! I can never remember what the number of that car is...

I noticed that it has "SPECIAL" on its destination signs. Are those real destination signs, or silk screened like the money train?

Also, is that car intact inside, maps, etc?

"jerryinva"
I saw the feeler car...the mate to the destroyed car from the Federal Triangle accident, at Brentwood Yard this morning! I can never remember what the number of that car is...

1028

I noticed that it has "SPECIAL" on its destination signs. Are those real destination signs, or silk screened like the money train?

They are real.

Also, is that car intact inside, maps, etc?

As far as I know the interior has not been changed.

Thanks SBJ!

I know there is a picture of the car on Oren's Transit site, but are there any other pics of the car, inside or out?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42728243@N00/480965409/

Not the feeler car...but a cool pic! You can see the roll signs on the inside of the car if you look closely....

"jerryinva"
Thanks SBJ!

Your welcome.

I know there is a picture of the car on Oren's Transit site, but are there any other pics of the car, inside or out?

Other then the picture that Oren has I know of no of know others.

I have few pictrues of it taken at Greenbelt Yard. The oldest one I heve is when it was parked at Greenbelt Yard before the northern end of the Green line opened in December of 1983.

I saw it this morning too! While passing Brentwood on the MARC pocket track between Union Station and the CSX main line I caught a brief glimpse of it. It was parked at the far North end of the yard. Those black and white "Special" destination signs are what tipped me off. It was my first time seeing and it definitely stuck out, even the average Metro rider could tell that it was "Special" Hopefully when I head outbound this evening I can make out the number, or even snap a picture with my cell phone (unlikely I will get enough time or good angle though) if its still there.

Does anyone know how often Metro runs the car through the system?

I have few pictrues of it taken at Greenbelt Yard. The oldest one I heve is when it was parked at Greenbelt Yard before the northern end of the Green line opened in December of 1983.

I think you meant December 1993. That's when Greenbelt went on-line.

And I also saw a photo of that doomed feeler car on "The Story of Metro" book, unless that was another car.

"Robert Paniagua"

I think you meant December 1993. That's when Greenbelt went on-line.

My bad. You are correct.

And I also saw a photo of that doomed feeler car on "The Story of Metro" book, unless that was another car.

The only train wreck photos in Ron Deiter's book are the two pictures of the coalition in the B04 interlocking north of Rhode Island Avenue. It happen in September of 1971 at the end of a start up test session as two trains were returning to Bertwood from the not yet opened Silver Spring segment north of Rhode Island Avenue.


"jerryinva"

Not the feeler car...but a cool pic! You can see the roll signs on the inside of the car if you look closely....

The exterior sign box is displaying Rhode Island Avenue. The interior strip map shows the station from Dupont Circle to Rhode Island Avenue.

Here's the reason the feeler car suddenly appeared @ Brentwood:

http://www.wmata.com/about/met_news/story.cfm?ID=1788

Interestingly the feeler car is at Brentwood, but the Red Line isn't even being inspected. Or maybe it was stored inside the Brentwood shops all along. Notice that Metro refers to the feeler car as a "special machine." lol

realtype wrote:Here's the reason the feeler car suddenly appeared @ Brentwood:

http://www.wmata.com/about/met_news/story.cfm?ID=1788

Interestingly the feeler car is at Brentwood, but the Red Line isn't even being inspected. Or maybe it was stored inside the Brentwood shops all along. Notice that Metro refers to the feeler car as a "special machine." lol

No, the "special machine" used to inspect the tracks in this case is not the feeler car. WMATA does want to order a track geometry car to do the work of the special machine they are using these next few weeks. The feeler car's primary purpose is to ensure that the ROW has the proper clearance at all points along the line.

Thanks for the correction.

btw. Can the car run under its own power? I've been examining it for the past few days every time I pass the yard on Metro or MARC, and it looks pretty beat up. One of the doors is halfway open and it looks like the disc brakes are gone.

realtype wrote:Thanks for the correction. :-)

btw. Can the car run under its own power? I've been examining it for the past few days every time I pass the yard on Metro or MARC, and it looks pretty beat up. One of the doors is halfway open and it looks like the disc brakes are gone.

A door being halfway open is probably no big deal. There is a key that will pop open only one door so passengers in an emergency situation or employees can get on or disembark. Sometimes, when I'm on a late night Red Line train--usually coming back from Silver Spring--the operator will make an unscheduled stop at the Brentwood Yard and a Metro employee will hop on/off. Considering that it's a non-revenue car, I doubt they take much care of it or care about leaving the door open. I don't know about the brakes, though. It's been a while since I last noticed the feeler car, and I never got a good look at its trucks.

I may be wrong...but I don't think that car can run under its own power. I believe they have to run in married pairs because the cars share some systems, and since that car is orphaned, and set up to be alone, I assume they must use a work vehicle to push it.

As for the doors, I believe there is an interlock that prevents the doors from opening while the train is moving... at least it's supposed to... (Remember about a year ago when they had a train pop open its doors in motion?)

You're right though, the feeler car looks beat to death....

I think the car is gone out of Brentwood....

Just saw the feeler car again this morning @ Brentwood. This time the car was just outside the main building in the yard, but on the South end. This more than likely confirms that the car is stored at Brentwood. I got a really good look at it this time and its condition is really terrible-- the markers are missing (and I think the headlamps also), it had no numberplates, and this time all of the doors were partially hanging open. I really can't believe that this car is track worthy; I think its just reached the end of the line.