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914four — Really Custom Caddy
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#tiv #track #cadillac #inspection
Published: 2014-12-22 19:29:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 1479; Favourites: 41; Downloads: 12
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Description
CPR Cadillac track inspection vehicle at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario, Smiths Falls, Ontario.
This Cadillac Sedan Limousine was originally owned and operated by a Medical Doctor out of Toronto. The Cadillac ran as a regular car with rubber tires for use on the road. The Doctor was a friend of CPR President N.R. “Buck” Crump and eventually donated the car to the Canadian Pacific. CP sent the car to Montreal, where it was converted to run on rails. The car was then assigned to the President and General manager as a convenient (and comfortable) inspection vehicle operated as a train for safety reasons. It was driven by Division Superintendents who were qualified operators, and who could inform the senior manager about the condition of their division.
The car weighs seven tons, is powered by an eight cylinder gasoline engine, and is identified on the track as M-260. The conversion added a turntable underneath the car so that it can be reversed on the track. Air brakes, an air horn, and a bell were added. The car has only 32,000 miles on. - source: rmeo.org
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Comments: 27
These converted sedans were and are AWESOME inspection cars.
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Do they run it? What an utterly fascinating vehicle!
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I don't know if it still runs, I haven't seen it out of that shed in a long time. It is a pretty cool slice of transportation history though
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The nice thing about anything automobile related is that gas motors are MUCH easier than steam to restore to function. But they SHOULD get it running, it would be a tremendous draw wherever it went.
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I suspect that has more to do with scale than fuel though, steam locomotives are complicated beasts because of their size. Given the choice of a race between restoring a Stanley Steamer motor or a 426 Max Wedge, I think the former might be less of a challenge
I will ask the next time we go there, I suspect we will probably organize a visit in early spring. I know it ran at one time because there's a sign inside the building (you can see the reflection on the car) offering rides for a fee ($1 I think).
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wow! I'd hate to be in a locomotive & see this thing coming at me!
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Even less so in a track speeder!
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Whoa! Wasn't sure whether to fave it in my cars of trains folder!
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Fave it to one, then copy it to the other.
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That does work but looks more like a train to me.
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Yeah, I've been struggling with that too
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Looks more like a really awesome train from this angle. haha!
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I love the vents they put in the nose and on the side of the hood, I suspect they can close them when the temperatures drop.
Also, I doubt that "front spoiler" is there for aerodynamic purposes
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The vents could also be air condition and the front spoiler could be some sort of cow whacker as well!
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Actually it is a cow-wacker, but most likely designed to knock small bits of debris off the rails before the car derails. I suspect they're for cooling the engine more than the passengers, this thing weighs 3 and a half tons!
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Cow Whackers RULE and that is one heavy duty Caddy!
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I wouldn't want to be the cow
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Damn, that is one classy inspection vehicle! Looks like a beast! I'd love to be trackside when that thing goes by with that throaty V-8 (I think it is that) roaring!
32,000 miles ain't bad for a car that old.
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Yup, most likely the 346 ci (5,670 cc) monobloc V8 used in most of the mid-forties Caddys.
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Thank you 
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