Re: Tie ripping on Monarch

Looks like a "ballast sled" which has developed into the modern undercutter/ballast cleaning rig. It's a v liker plow that is inserted under the ties and then dragged by the locomotive. As it moves it lifts the ties up and out on fouled ballast and then levels the now subgrade before the tracks drops back down. It makes is easier to replace the ties and it allows a much more drastic lift than can be done by jacks and tamping so you can get your tracks out of the mud and into clean ballast. Loram in Hamel MN offered sled as one of their first products/services and had one plinthed in front of their headquarters along with a blurb on their website which I can't find. (of course)