DC Metro or MARC WTF?

[sirenwerks]

I keep scratching my head on what this thing is... Every time I take the Washington Metro into New Carrolton I see this thing on the right hand side of the tracks, in what I think is the loading area of the old Hechinger's warehouse. I always a) forget my camera or b) am sitting at a window with too much hair oil on it to get a focused shot, so I don't have a better image... so the following brid's eye views will have to do. Here's the first one...

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qgq2vv8kt0xw&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=21724903&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&sp=Point.qgk7508kpk7b_Untitled%20item____&encType=1

In the center of the pic (to the right of the bus on the highway) is what looks like a Comet car melded with a rotary dump. This car is literally encased in three huge wheels. Now look at the 2nd pic...

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qgq2vv8kt0xw&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=6548777&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&sp=Point.qgk7508kpk7b_Untitled%20item____&encType=1

It's a rotated view if the last image, but the car's gone, and where it was you can see three pads where the car sat, with what look like slits cut in the pavement to seat the wheels in. I'd guess it's a training car for Metro, but the likelihood would be the car would be located in the New Carrolton yard just up the line. MARC operates Comets, especially as cab cars, but this is in a really strange location to be associated with MARC.

Anyone have any knowledge of or an educated guess as to what this thing is?

[Mark5]

Minor comment: MARC does not have Comets. They may look vaguely similar but no dice.

[delamaize]

roll over simulator?

[asciibaron]

WMATA training car for Metro evacuations.

-Steve

[sirenwerks]

OK, I give, they look like Comets. Details, details...

Steve, should there be a question mark after that or you know for sure? I thought about that but it's locale and the fact that it's a full size passenger car and not a Metro sized one, and it doesn't have 3 sets of 'double' sliding doors on each side of the car like the WMATA cars, I am not so sure.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

"OK, I give, they look like Comets. Details, details..."

What looks like Comet cars?  MARC has nothing like them, having Sumitomo cars similar to the South Shore's m.u. cars.  The car shown in the overhead could be just about any lightweight passenger car ever built, not just a Comet styled car.  The wheel-like bans may have been something to hold the car on a trailer or dollies for movement on a highway, and considering that its apparently gone (the second link didn't show anything when I used it) that seems to be a good explaination.

As far as your tag on the end of the thread, how 'bout changing that.  Such shouldn't be used on this forum.  I, for one, don't appreciate it.

[sirenwerks]

Jerry, keep in mind that I see this car while traveling on the Metro much clearer than the images I have provided and much closer. Of course, I am glancing at them as we pass at 40-50 mph, so the completeness of my mental image is vulnerable, and I'll use that as my excuse for my Comet reference. I should have double-checked MARC resources before making such a grievous error.

But due to my occasional viewing proximity to the subject, I can attest that the bands are not rigging for hauling, you wouldn't need to encase a passenger car in such an apparatus to transport it via truck or rail.

As for my thread tag, that's quite a non sequitur but I'm happy to hear why you don't appreciate it and feel it should not appear here OFF TOPIC. Please message me. I honestly can't see how it would offend anyone, but admittedly my sense of empathy is skewed through faulty hard wiring.

[RockGp40]

New Carrollton is a neat area to look for old industrial leads. I used to be a volunteer fireman in that area (1997-2007 West Lanham Hills VFD), and I don't believe any of the remaining industries in that area use rail service. DC Metro has a huge complex now east of there at the end of the line (orange if memory serves).

[bicknell]

3433 Pennsy Drive, Landover MD, the WMATA Landover Bus Garage.

So, it's something WMATA, but what I still don't know.  My guess would be some sort of roll over / rescue simulator.

[bicknell]

http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/research/rr0607.pdf

New Jersey Transit donated a retired Comet I
commuter rail car built by Pullman Standard  for
the Simulator with 3 and 2 seating arrangement.
(Figure 3).

[asciibaron]

WMATA training car for Metro evacuations.

-Steve

does no one read?

[Ian MacMillan]

WMATA training car for Metro evacuations.

-Steve

does no one read?

Read what?

[asciibaron]

WMATA training car for Metro evacuations.

-Steve

does no one read?

Read what?

 :'(

[sirenwerks]

Steve, should there be a question mark after that or you know for sure? I thought about that but it's locale and the fact that it's a full size passenger car and not a Metro sized one, and it doesn't have 3 sets of 'double' sliding doors on each side of the car like the WMATA cars, I am not so sure.

You tell me Steve?

[bicknell]

asciibaron got it right first, and if people are still confused they need to read the PDF link I posted.