M46 Rapid Railroad Destructor - photo

[Altair]

Built on the M46 Patton tank chassis, M46 Rapid Railroad Destructor (RRD) was designed to destroy railways so that the track becomes unusable for the enemy. M46 RRD could chew through rails at a rate of 6 miles per hour.





Previously:

Railway construction train - photo
railway construction machine GIF
Rail grinder - video
Rail moving robot - GIF

[hmv4u]

[QUOTE=Altair;126014]Built on the M46 Patton tank chassis, M46 Rapid Railroad Destructor (RRD) was designed to destroy railways so that the track becomes unusable for the enemy. M46 RRD could chew through rails at a rate of 6 miles per hour.




bit of info on how it worked from lock,stock and history
the Rapid Railroad Destructor would first lift the railroad track into its maw with a winch. Inside the device was a series of machines designed to totally destroy the railroad. First, a set of six Browning .50 caliber machine guns loaded with armor piercing ammunition would shoot notches the rails so that it could evenly feed into the device. Then the ties were smashed by a set of swinging hammers. Finally the notched rails would be snapped into short sections by a set of rollers. From the rear would be expelled a spray of woodchips and pieces of metal.