Two Gauges, one car

[magickmaker]

A while back there was talk of a translator car that allowed a railroad to switch a dual and "standard" gauge at the same time. The images offered showed dual couplers.

Well, since then I've been looking for images of another type of "translator" car, and finally I've found it.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=109199

This is a special car used to switch both meter and broad gauges in Brazil. Notice, its trucks are of two different gauges. one metric, one broad.

Cars of this type sometimes have dual couplers also, as this picture shows.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=108838

 

[bendorsey]

Thats weird, lol.

Making the car wouldn't be difficult but making the different gauge bogies track correctly might since its set up for 3-rail track instead of 4 rail track (there is some 4-rail rail-only track on the DLS). The car would track at a slight angle on 3-rail track whereas it would track straight on 4-rail track. You might try taking a traincar and changing the bogey kuids so one is std ga and the other 3 ft ga then see how it works on MAN2 dual gauge track components. Getting the 3 ft ga bogey to track the offset 3 ft ga track might require you to throw a switch when the std ga bogey is past the points but the 3 ft ga bogey is not.

Ben

 

[UP5521]

I agree with both of you, while that this maybe weird but there are stranger things than this!

 

[whitepass]

There use to be dual gage bogeys, the wheels on one side could be moved in and out, this was back in the 1850-1880 at the beginning of interchange between railroads.

 

[PerRock]

Talgo (the Spanish High speed train maker) makes variable gauge stuff. you might find this video interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=FR&hl=fr&v=EdOKVFx5Yx0

peter