Whatzit?

[rogruth]

I have seen several of the short lines in Georgia.
One factor that Chuck did not mention in his excellent description above
is the condition of the track. The train may be on a spot that allows
flexing of the track because of various reasons. Average track speed on
many lines was/is very slow @ 5 mph.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

...Now that Murph is fired he is qualified to answer, this Whatzit is declared a tie between E7 and Murph!...

Huh? Wha' ? E7 and I were on the same track.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I have seen several of the short lines in Georgia.
One factor that Chuck did not mention in his excellent description above
is the condition of the track. The train may be on a spot that allows
flexing of the track because of various reasons. Average track speed on
many lines was/is very slow @ 5 mph.

Thank you, Roger. Your good sense is much appreciated.

And regarding Chuck's analysis, in agreement with you, I say, now there's a mind !

[chuck]

Roger, great comment on the track. I've seen a lot of old and poorly maintained track with trains rocking and rolling down the line. The coupler dip you described can occur when even a one or two ties fail near a rail joint. BTW, you can barely make it out in the photo but that SW 8 had a rather unique "cow" catcher on the front and back end plates.



Assuming that photo is in south west Georgia somewhere along the branch lime, the demographics indicate it's a pretty poor area, median income is NOW between $25,000 and $35,000. Google earth shows the area as primarily agricultural with corn appearing to be the main crop and poultry farming/processing as the next most prevalent. It looks like they are now using the corn to make ethanol as well as feed the poultry.

Highly dendritic drainage pattern with most of the tree cover in the stream valleys. Soil would be relative hard/impervious. A few "ground views" look like red Georgia clay?

My overwhelming feeling at seeing the photo is a sense of poverty, loss. Building on the left looks like it could fall over at any time.

[webenda]

One year later (1970) from photo w/ crankshaft.

[webenda]

Whatzit going to be when you see the whole thing?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Whatzit going to be when you see the whole thing?

I got nothing.............yet. Device for aliens used for making crop circles

[MurphOnMillerAve]

A guy in a military jacket using a new hand-held device for finding and attracting hotbabes?

[webenda]

Nope, nope. Here is more:

[MurphOnMillerAve]

The hand of a guitarist playing with Jimi Hendrix ?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The hand of a guitarist playing with Jimi Hendrix ?

Back off on the LSD for a while,

[webenda]

Nope, maybe more if the image would help.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Space station?

[webenda]

No.
Would a view of the white circle removed from the whatzit help?

[chuck]

LEM. Lunar Excursion Module. The close up is of the tracking light. It was supposed to help the command module pilot find the LEM for docking after the ascent from the surface (only the smaller ascent stage went back into lunar orbit).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB4TenTk-Bc

At around the 52 second mark you can start to see the LEM and note the light flashing periodically.