A Question About a Strange Train (What is it?)

[J.D. White]

I was driving the other night along the interstate under a railroad overpass on my way home a few nights ago when overhead at the same time I was going under there were two locomotives with a bunch of rectangular halogen lights off the side, and the cars that were trailing also had halogen lights shining off each side. The lead locomotive was spraying water too through what looked like a firemans nozzle and it was directed downward at (or just outside of) the rail. What is it?

 

[Stan Lytle]

Sounds like a rail grinder.

See if any of these look like what you saw:

http://www.google.com/search?q="rai...&biw=1250&bih=1239&sei=9lG-TsWoJKndiAKrmvn9CA

 

[maersksealand3329]

I concurr with Stan. Sounds like you caught a rail grinder.

 

[kenw]

btw, the water is to put out small fires that are created by the sparks from the grinding. When they are grinding it is a pretty spectacular sight.

 

[storminorman]

night grinding

One time many years back I caught a crew grinding rails after dark. The show was spectacular to say the least!

 

[J.D. White]

Stan, it looked a lot like what's in the second photo on the top left.

Thanks to Stan and everyone who responded.