"THE BRICK" - It's NOT a Locomotive

The equipment Norfolk Southern uses to inspect its rails may look odd, but it serves a very important purpose - keeping trains moving and safe.
Follow me on social media!
Instagram: v12producti...
Twitter: v12productions?la...
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/v12prod...
#trains #documentary #drone

[@IdahoRailfan]

I spent 3 months looking at pictures of the NS "brick" to design a 3d model so I could 3d print it for my HO Scale layout. It is quite a neat piece of MOW equipment!

[@oatsroasted6759]

That's awesome. You got to see what many don't. Like me before I retired. Only 2 buildings in Cincinnati I didn't hang on the outside of. I stood in places only few people have. First when buildings were built and when maintenance needed to be done on the outside.

[@sneaky_tux]

Noice

[@wesbrackmanthercenthusiast4695]

I've got some video when one was in portsmouth recently if you need

[@GilmerJohn]

Look fast. With the cost of electronics coming down, it's likely (& mentioned in the video) that the sensors will just be put on ordinary locomotives. Every time the locomotive is stopped for even a few minutes it will automatically upload. If it "thinks" there is a critical problem, it will alert the train crew and make a call to Hq.

[@haroldwilkes6608]

My HO2 yard was almost completely MOW equipment, based on unique cars I'd seen and photographed on the N&W in Virginia. Butchered a lot of kits to make them. Nice thing was nobody could say it was a bad model because most were one-offs.

[@timwalton57]

The first 16 years of my 37 year railroad career was spent in the track dept (M of W) and the Sperry rail services converted Budd cars would visit the territory 2 or 3 times a year. The commuter railroad I worked for originated out of Grand Central Terminal and 2 divisions went into upstate NY and the 3rd division went up into Connecticut (3 branch lines off that mainline) the Sperry cars were a frequent visitor to the territory....Thank you for the great video and letting me remember those times when I worked in conjunction with SRS cars !

[@v12productions]

Thanks for sharing and watching!

[@FFred-us9tw]

The Sperry cars were actually not Budd Cars but very early Doodlebugs. The famous Budd RDC's came about in 1949. The Sperry Doodlebugs were almost all from the 1920-1930 era and then ultimately they started building their own from scratch.

[@johnrhansonsr]

The inspection is called NDI (Non-Destructive Inspection.) Same technology is used in the aircraft industry during NDI inspections.

[@lutomson3496]

Except aircraft NDI uses nuclear products for scans and inspections we used to do whole aircraft

[@NixCrossing]

Thanks for sharing! The C&O had a car like this that’s displayed at the B&O RR Museum Baltimore. Labeled “ Anemometer Car” they used needle / paper readouts for defect detection.

[@jerrysinclair3771]

As always, your research and data are impressive. Occasionally, your moderation exceeds some of the videos. Thanks for bringing railroads to my home.

[@amtraklover]

I've seen the brick on numerous occasions here in Atlanta. Always cool to see it come through

[@PowerTrain611]

Saw the brick once a few years ago in Lebanon, PA. I happened to be walking over the 9th street overpass and heard a train coming so I decided I'd stop and see what was coming. I'm glad I did, because it was this nifty appliance on wheels!

[@alcopower5710]

Hadn’t seen the brick before……..thanks for sharing 👍

[@jordonfreeman166]

I’ve seen several videos of CSX trains with boxcars right behind the locos that said “DO NOT HUMP” on them in large letters. I read somewhere that these cars are similar to The Brick, a freight car equipped with instruments to measure the track work and to check for defects.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Awesome video and documentation of the tech train on the NS, I have a lot of experience with these on the CP since I have almost 30 years in the track department, We called this train the overtime train for us.

[@v12productions]

Very cool! Thanks for watching!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@v12productions Your welcome.

[@Trainman-zp4eq]

Both NS Geometry trains are stored in the old N&W coach yard in Roanoke VA

[@ScottJohnson4449]

That is so neat to see. In 1984 , I worked on FRA track geometry cars T2/T4 on most Amtrak routes in the country, and a Budd SPV, T-10 in 1985. I also rode on Amtrak's 10001, The Beech Grove " between DC and NYC once a month. I almost bailed out of 10001 on Saluda Grade! Our brakes wouldn't hold, and two NS high noses trailing us (just in case, thank God!) slammed into us and coupled on the fly. I wrote about some of these adventures in "Riding the rails with Riley" , TRAINS, September 2009. The technology now is so far removed from our old computers and rolls of chart paper!

[@v12productions]

That's really interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@ScottJohnson4449]

@@v12productions My pleasure. It was a wonderful way to see the country, head end of an F40 or a POOCH down on the Sunset Limited. No SDP40fs, though, dang it. Best job I ever had. I have subbed.

[@thelincolnrailfan]

Awesome video, really enjoyed it! GEO trains are my favorite.

[@bennetts-revenge_2]

Wow that is very interesting. I always wonder how they check the rails out. Thank you for sharing!

[@freighttrainjoe]

Awesome video! Great info never new that about the brick.

[@kennhale3701]

I see one of these parked in Roanoke all the time

[@wideslammer]

Thanks for creating another interesting video.

[@robertheinkel6225]

Very interesting

[@andrewdutton3831]

Informative video. Never knew this type of technology existed for track inspection. Good use of a drone, too, to get us into places that would otherwise require trespassing.

[@wrangler70jkujeep74]

Shot videos on NS S Line running from Spencer to Asheville and cool pics of both units . They are stored in Roanoke . VA below Virgina Transportation museum when not in use can see them through the fence from highway easily .

[@jacobdubielak2699]

I seen that train in Irondale Alabama

[@JimmyCornPop]

Thanks for the video. I have seen videos of ‘the brick’ before, and nobody ever explained what it was.

[@tracefarrelly7783]

sooooo good, keep making these videos!!!

[@SavSpdDemon]

1:08 I think I know why trains don't have to stop at traffic lights: they take a mile to stop, regardless of speed.

[@tracynation2820]

Superb. 💙 T.E.N.

[@darrylnelson6264]

Really good video. Learned something.

[@EricSmith-ve7qi]

Another Great video! Your work and research is amazing Thanks......

[@andreabennett]

Very interesting and informative! Thank you.

[@dmorgan28]

Another awesome video. Very interesting. 👍👍👍❤️

[@KDubielak]

I remember seeing a Norfolk Southern brick train. I had no idea what the simple it was

[@55tmilam]

Very informative! Thanks!👍🏼

[@johnsmart964]

Thank you very much for this very interesting and informative video presentation which is very much appreciated by the people.

[@West_Coast_Gang]

I went back and it sounded like “a *****ing western”

[@N00N01]

This is what my younger brother would legit build out of lego's trying to build a Gp9/7

[@centraliowarailproductions2810]

Nice video!

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

I got so see the geo train one day in Bethlehem PA right before quarantine

[@nstrainfanyt]

I've seen this train only twice. One in pulaski va on 92G bound for norfolk va, and when it was tied down in cp bridge after being on 90g. It's actually quite interesting on how it works. Definitely explains why this train never runs under it's own power. Really liked the history of the geometry trains, like 38 being a rebuilt nw sd40.

[@JawTooth]

There is a motel there in Augusta and if you get a room on the back side you can see the street running trains. I spent the night there at the end of February and saw a street runner go through in the early morning hours. There aren't many trains on that line anymore though.

[@SKYSCRAPERTELEVISION]

I saw the 2nd set at Corning , NY in 2013. Ex Erie RR Milepost 286.4

[@barbararoberto1258]

Very educational and interesting thumbs up

[@TimCan144]

I live in the area and I am surprised that I have never heard nor seen this before at all.

[@FrehleyFan3988]

I’ve seen the twin of the “brick” maybe like 3 or 4 times.

[@michaelfreeze2949]

It's like "Dr Yellow" in Japan but slower

[@v12productions]

MUCH slower ( :

[@Max-eh8gk]

Why do railroads always seem to pull track geometry trains with big road engines? Sometimes I even see two gevos or aces pulling a three car inspection train. Is it that they want to see the rail after their heaviest load goes over?

[@Stoker58]

If there’s no where to turn the consist at the end of the run having to back to back units prevents running long hood forward. With road units being the most available they usually get assigned to the job. Smaller units are generally dedicated to locals where they’re needed more.

[@EmergencyGuy]

Just to let you know, KCS is no longer KCS. They are now CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) due to their merger with Canadian Pacific Rail (CP Rail).

[@ryanthomp]

Over in downtown Duluth GA I noticed a bunch of MOW equipment parked in a old siding there and the ties were painted and marked. Im wondering if NS plans on doing some tie replacement there would make for a good video you should check it out. The MOW equipment is right infront of the library in downtown by the signal

[@kens.3729]

It would be Interesting to know what Percentage of Work is done after the Track Geometry train comes through an Area. 👍

[@ScottJohnson4449]

Back in the 80s, when our inspection trains would record defects, crews were usually dispatched immediately. Yhe higher speed the track, the faster they were dispatched. I am still sore almost 40 years later from laying on ballast with a an instrument verification bar to get a measurement by hand. It measured gauge and elevation. Doing it in the snow was oh so pleasant, as was laying on a fire ant hill down south!

[@TheRealCharter]

Oh my gosh, I think I've seen this very recently, traveling through Ohio about a month ago. The algorithm proving me with good information. I thought it was a very short executive train like the CSX one.

[@divox9pqr]

Very important technology since Amtrak runs on NS lines every day. I would hope BNSF track geometry is as advanced as the NS system.

[@jockellis]

I’ve gone to - and passed - both Level I and Level II ultrasonic testing schools but will never get the 850 hours of testing needed for L II certification. But I was really amazed at what this form of non destructive testing will uncover at depths other forms of testing cannot.

[@tristontherailfan]

It’s not a locomotive ✨ it’s a brick✨

[@davewallace8219]

thanks

[@professorx4976]

I call it "Unidentified Rolling Object" since it looks like a railroad version of a UFO. But that's just me and my quirkiness.

[@haroldwilkes6608]

Wonder if there's a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) in that unit. In the 50s a guy I knew used a sledge hammer on rails to determine flaws, he could "hear" a bad rail or loose one.

[@robertlhoyt9775]

Thanks.

[@MainTrack1Prodctions]

Just saw that in Lnoxville

[@imprezacabbit2309]

imagine the trains had to stop a the the traffic lights 😂 i can just imagine pulling up to a red light then a train pulls up and stops next to you

[@Olivers-trains]

It's just like the New Measurement train of the UK

[@sapper82]

Their primary goal is NOT to detect track defects, but to pin-point areas where track defects are liable to occur and give the track engineers the chance to monitor and institute remedial action before the potential defect actually becomes a problem. I spent my last 12 years before retirement working on Network Rail's track inspection fleet recording data on track condition to be forwarded to the track managers. Yes, of course the data was checked against defined limits as it was recorded and processed and anything outside those limits was flagged as a track defect with, depending on how severe the readings were, 14 days, 72hrs, 36hrs, immediate or even Block the Line in extreme cases. Anything below 14 days required phoning in to the line control with Block the Line requiring the driver to stop at the next signal to advise the signaller. But fault detection was generally regarded as a bonus on top of getting the data to the engineers for future planning. Parameters recorded include track gauge, cross-level, track twist, dipped joints on the old jointed track and cyclic top. Later trains are fitted with Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) using ultra highspeed cameras to record the fittings at EVERY sleeper (cross tie) which are then processed through a pattern recognition and comparison system with abnormal results being kicked out for manual inspection of the images. I also worked on MENTOR, the overhead wire inspection train with an instrumented pantograph to monitor the condition of the wires.

[@christopherdibble5872]

The engineers don't wave from the trains anymore, not like they did back in 1954.

[@steamgent4592]

Saw the brick many times over the years. Conrail used Sperry rail service. I've even seen Sperry with just a SUV now doing inspections. Sperry also did rail grinding for Conrail. Santa Fe still uses Sperry service as I see it's railcar around in AT&SF territory and it's SUVs.

[@FFred-us9tw]

Aside from UP, all the class ones still use Sperry as well as most commuter lines as Sperry offers proprietary testing equipment that no other contractor offers. The detector cars perform two types of internal rail flaw detection. The Hi-Rail Sperry trucks only perform the Ultrasonic portion so it is not as good as the detector car results which is why many railroads still prefer that method. Sperry has never offered grinding service. You are confusing them with Speno rail services.

[@steamgent4592]

@@FFred-us9tw yup my bad Speno does the grinding. Haven't seen Sperry or Speno on NS tracks in eons if it runs the mainline I must always be missing it. Used to see it every year in the ConRail days. But I have seen the NS test train and it's usually more than one brick and one car with a loco. It's usually a The Brick, what looks like a Red slug and two coaches one of which is a theatre looking car on the lead or last trailing. Some years it passes through running backwards. Maybe it's both sets returning to Altoona for something not sure.

[@wesbrackmanthercenthusiast4695]

I've seen this loco a little while back sitting on the short osco spurr here in portsmouth ohio for a few hours I took a video of it on my channel pretty piece of railroad tooling I wish I had the tooling and money to get the line from portsmouth to mcdermott to otway to rarden a thirty year abandoned line that would be perfect for tourist use

[@mr.snuffleupagus2266]

Awesome vid. Heard about the brick but didn’t know if it was real or still in service.

[@v12productions]

Thanks!

[@raymondleggs5508]

Well it does resemble an EMD G12 Locomotive especially A-1-A A-1-A version.

[@trainsrus4472]

In Australia we have the ak cars

[@MoodyBlue42..]

Hope I can catch it before they switch to regular freights for the surveying.

[@ericzerkle5214]

Ive seen "the brick" here on the old WLR. First time i saw it i was like what the heck???

[@needsmetal]

Still looks like an old Badwin

[@subsonicwave64]

wait, since the brick has a generator- can the brick move on its own?

[@alexfisher2002]

The geometry cars up by me have higher up management on the most of the time

[@southwestrailandfire2350]

The coaches, are equipped with K5LA's

[@roxleyldc]

Do these trains or the Sherry trains use the process known as magnaflux?

[@arifalfarizi1972]

Mantap kawan salam dari Indonesia 🇲🇨

[@ericcallender1575]

This is one of my projects to make in N scale

[@v12productions]

I'd love to see a model of it!

[@roadwolf2]

Does NS36 also have MU unit controls? As I saw headlights. Ditch lights and MU cable connections

[@v12productions]

I would think it would have the MU cabling going through it. Not sure about controls inside.

[@kodarailfaner3415]

I saw it by itself moving forward with a ns passenger car all by itself

[@kodarailfaner3415]

The brick

[@mommygrtshl4815]

I’ve seen that train two times

[@luismanuelmartinezcastaned8880]

¿Why does it have a tank?....

[@jamesthornton9399]

What is a "Slug". and why does a "Track Geometry Truck" need two big Diesels to pull it?????

[@Mehem7000_Official]

yah man your right, it is a brick.

[@coloradostrong8285]

_you're_ not "your"

[@skiiipawbs]

What if instead of a generators, they just use they the old traction motors as generators and store super capacitors in the rear. Kinda like how dynamic braking works, but the energy isn’t decipated and it goes to the super capacitors.. might cut costs

[@billmoran3812]

Sounds like a good idea, but remember that energy would come from the movement of the train. Since the train is pulled by diesel locomotives, isn’t that essentially the same thing? In actuality, there would be additional losses from friction and electrical loss so your proposed method would be somewhat less efficient than just running a generator.

[@skiiipawbs]

@@billmoran3812 true that true that

[@coloradostrong8285]

Teach yourself homonyms and homophones, starting with _braking_ versus _breaking_

[@skiiipawbs]

@@coloradostrong8285 shhh 🤫

[@KarimtherailfanandUnionPacific]

I have a question does the behind the NS locomotive run

[@ScottJohnson4449]

Usually both are powered up.

[@KarimtherailfanandUnionPacific]

What if the brick had a cab

[@winstonbeech3418]

Made from an SD40 frame it looks like.

[@letrainavapeur]

Does't look as impressive as the Flying Bananna (UK), Iris320 (France) or Doctor Yellow (Japan)

[@stephenpersing-bk9ex]

i seen ns 38 on Sunday in Glendale ohio

[@5Statesrailfanrevival]

nose

[@jlet4ever]

Big clue is the word Research. Duh

[@condorc72]

Click bait at its finest

[@ashetone.mp3]

your voice gives me depression

[@heyitshuttz3705]

Damn ok