Catenary Inspection and Maintenance Car, 2010.
Color photograph of an Amtrak Catenary Maintenance and Inspection Car taken on April 18, 2010.
- Photograph Details
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- Date Archived:
- April 15, 2011
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 2010s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Date Created:
- April 8, 2010
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
The Plasser MTW 100 Catenary Inspection and Maintenance Car in this image is a self-propelled vehicle designed for the maintenance and inspection of overhead electrical lines (called catenary wire). The machine is equipped with a crane mounted lift bucket and a rotating work platform that can be raised or lowered as needed. The car’s highly sophisticated, computer-controlled catenary wire measuring system can store data for up to 100 miles of track. The 100,000-pound “Cat” car has 473 horsepower and can travel up to 50 mph.
Inspection and maintenance of the catenary lines on the Northeast and Keystone Corridors generally takes place during off-hours.
Photograph by, and courtesy of, Matt Donnelly.
