The Museum Collection includes equipment required for most rail operations. This category includes everything from motive power to move workers and equipment to special purpose machinery used to build and maintain our demonstration railroad.
The Museum's Diesel Hydraulic Switcher was built in 1960 by the Plymouth Locomotive Works in Plymouth, Ohio for the Dundee Cement Company. It served at their Independence Ohio plant until it was retired in the early 2000's. It was donated to the Museum in August of 2012 by the factility's current owner's, Holcim (US) Incorporated, and has been returned to active service at the Museum.
Plymouth Diesel Locomotive Specifications:
Type:
Internal Combustion Locomotive
Description:
Model DDT, Type 6, 2 Axle, Diesel Hydraulic
Builder:
Plymouth Locomotive Works, Division of the Fate-Root-Heath Co, Plymouth, Ohio
The Trackmobile was created in 1947 to solve a railcar switching problem at the Whiting Corporation's Harvey Illinois facility. The old industrial locomotive they had used for years inside their plant frequently ended up parked on a blind siding blocked in by freight cars, losing hours of productivity. Employee Marshall Hartelius was charged with finding a way to resolve the bottleneck.
Hartelius saw it would save time if the locomotive could just drive where it was needed like a tractor and then set back on the track. He first designed a system with retractable ground wheels to mount on the locomotive, but found it was cumbersome and expensive to maintain and operate. Marshall scrapped his first design and built a lighter version from scratch. It had retractable hard rubber tires to move by road and flanged steel wheels to work on rail. To make up for the light chassis he developed a hydraulically operated coupler head that transferred some of the car’s weight from its own springs to the car mover’s wheels for traction.
A prototype designated the "Mule" was placed in service at the Whiting plant in 1948 and proved both functional and inexpensive to run. In 1950 Whiting put the invention into production. More than 10,000 Trackmobile units have been put into service.
Our Trackmobile was acquired from the Charter Steel Company and performes switching duties at the Museum.
TM5 Trackmobile Specifications:
Type:
Rail Car Mover
Description:
Model TM5
Builder:
Trackmobile
Year Built:
1967
Acquired by NORM:
2016
Seats:
1
Status:In Service
Out of Service
Prior Service Location:
Charter Steel Company, Northern Ohio Railway Museum
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enlarge it
Here is the Trackmobile parked outside of the McCarthy Carhouse at NORM in the summer of 2018. (Museum Collection)
A front view of the Trackmobile. Road wheels are retracted to preserve tire life. (Museum Collection)
Speeder 016 arrived at the CUT as an open car. The CUT later constructed a wooden body for it, probably at its Collinwood shops. The car's current body was constructed by the CTS in 1959 after the original wooden one was consumed by flames in a fire at the line's Windermere shops. In addition to seating a work crew of four, its powerful four-cylinder gasoline engine allowed it to tow several small flat cars loaded with heavy items like spikes, ties and spools of wire.
The car was re-numbered 016 when it was sold to the Cleveland Transit System in the 1950's and has carried that designation to this day. Its original number on the CUT roster is unknown. In 1964 it was sold to the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit line, where it was repainted in their distinctive yellow paint scheme as you see it today. It remained in service there into the RTA days.
CUT 016 Specifications:
Type:
Speeder
Description:
Track Inspection Car
Builder:
Buda Railcar Company
Year Built:
1944
Acquired by NORM:
2001
Seats:
4
Prime Mover:
Internal Combustion Gasoline Engine
Transmission:
4 Speed Manual W/Separate Reverser
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets, 1 Driven
Brakes:
Mechanical, 4-Wheels
Lines Served On:
Cleveland Union Terminal Railroad, Cleveland Transit System, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
Out of Service
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Here is a front view of 016 at the Museum's Members Weekend in August of 2008. (B. C. Gage)
The Buda Speeder 016 on display at the Museum. (B. C. Gage)
The Kalamazoo Manufacturing Company was located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and manufactured hand and push cars, speeders and other products needed for railroad work. The Company was founded in 1883 and closed its doors in the 1990s.
Dimensions:
Length: 8ft. 6-3/4in., Width: 65in., Height: ft. in.
Weight:
1500 lbs. (approx.)
Seats:
2
Prime Mover:
Wisconsin Model V4E 4 Cylinder 22 HP Air-Cooled Internal Combustion Gasoline Engine
Transmission:
3-Speed Manual Transmission coupled to Kalamazoo Reverser, Dual Chain Drive to rear axle
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets, 1 Driven
Brakes:
Mechanical, 4-Wheels
Status:
Out of Service - Unrestored
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enlarge it
This view of the Kalamazoo Speeder shows the sheet metal front end that was applied by one of its prvious owners. (B.C. Gage)
This "cab view" photo shows original tubular steel front railing behind the front panel. What would appear to be a headlight in the center is actually the horn. The air cooled V4 gasoline engine is visible through what is left of the wood body panels. (B.C. Gage)
The speeder in outdoor storage in the spring of 2015. The planks on top have been placed there in preparation for tarping the car over to protect it from the elements while it awaits restoration. The original wooden roof will need to be rebuilt. (B.C. Gage)
X003 is our People Mover, a four wheel flat car equipped with seats and steps that was built in the NORM shops. Seating eight, it functions both as an inspection car and a source of rides at our annual Member's Weekend.
NORM X003 Specifications:
Type:
People Mover
Description:
4-Wheel Flat Car w/Seats
Builder:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Year Built:
2002
Seats:
8
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets
Lines Served On:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
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enlarge it
The People Mover provides members a view of the line at the Museum's Members Picnic in August of 2008. (B. C. Gage)
NORM's Home-Built People Mover in action at the 2008 Annual Members Picnic.
This un-numbered four wheel flat car is similar in design and construction to X003 above and was also built in the NORM shops. It has been used for everything from moving heavy objects along our tracks to weed sprayer service and is an indispensable part of our maintenance fleet.
NORM Flat Specifications:
Type:
Work Flat
Description:
4-Wheel Flat Car
Builder:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Year Built:
2006
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets
Lines Served On:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
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enlarge it
In this photo the flat car is spotted on the west loop by the Prunkard Maintenance Building with our derrick car. (B. C. Gage)
To see the car in weed sprayer service go to our Norm Home Movies page.
Similar in design and construction to the flat cars above. This car was built for the Cleveland Union Terminals Company and was operated in line and overhead maintenance service trains pulled by speeders like 016 above. In addition to it's duties as a flat car it has also served as a mobile work bench for compresors and other heavy pieces of hardware.
CUT Flat Specifications:
Type:
Work Flat
Description:
4-Wheel Flat Car
Builder:
Cleveland Union Terminal Railroad
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets
Lines Served On:
Cleveland Union Terminal Railroad, Cleveland Transit System, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
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Seen here on track one outside of the Bennett Barn during a car move, the car has a load of tools and comperssors in the process of being rebuilt to be placed back in service. (S. Heister)
Built by the Fairmont Car Company, this four-wheeled flat car is of tubular steel construction and is currently in service combined with a portable air compressor to supply power for various tools used in track construction and maintenance tasks.
Fairmount Flat Specifications:
Type:
Work Flat
Description:
4-Wheel Flat Car
Builder:
Fairmount
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets
Lines Served On:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
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enlarge it
The car is seen here in compressor service supplying air power to the ballast tampers. (S. Heister)
Once owned by the Norfolk & Western Railroad, this flat is equiped with a manually operated derrick and rail clamps to steady it when lifting. Coupled to one of our work flats it is useful for lifting and placing heavy objects like switch stands and rail frogs.
Norfolk & Western Flat Specifications:
Type:
Work Flat W/Derrick
Description:
4-Wheel Flat Car with Manual Derrick
Trucks:
2 Single Axle Wheel Sets
Lines Served On:
Norfolk & Western Railroad, Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
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enlarge it
The Derrick is spotted on the west loop track next to the Prunkard Maintenance Building in the spring of 2015. A draw bar is used to link it to the NORM flat, a common practice on small work cars.(B. C. Gage)
Like all rail operations, NORM requires a variety of specialized
equipment to build and maintain its right-of-way. Below are several
pieces currently in service.
The Spiker in storace in the McCarthy Carhouse. (B. C. Gage)
Volunteers spiking new ties on the west loop track in preparation for overhead installation in the Fall of 2011. (B. C. Gage)
The Spiker in action at the Museum.
Ballast Distributor
Description:
4-Wheel ballast distribution attachment for high rail dump truck
Builder:
Northern Ohio Railway Museum
Status:
In Service
The Ballast Distributor in storace in the Bennet Carhouse. (D. Schultz)
Designed to be towed behind the Museum's high rail dump truck, partitions distirbute the ballst evenly along the rails where it is needed to most. (B. C. Gage)
The Ballast Distributor was built in the Museum's shops and was completed in July of 2014. (B. C. Gage)
Ballast Tamper
Description:
4-Wheel Track Utility Machine equipped with Jackson Model 1000 Ballast Tampimg Heads
Status:
In Service
The Ballast Tamper is spotted on track 1 outside of the Bennett Barn with Buda Speeder 016 during a car shuffle. (S. Heister)
The business end of the tamper can be seen in this photograph of the car in storace in the Prunkard Maintenance Building. (B. C. Gage)
This photo shows the locomotive on the unloading track in front of the Prunkard Maintenance Building at NORM shortly after its arrival. (W. Stoner)
