Some help from the experts

[atticus-vintage]

Hi All, I was hoping I could get some assistance regarding a railroad gauge I have acquired.

The device is a Kongsberg Tellus Type Vibration Gauge (pics attached) the only reference I can find online is that they have one in the Norwegian Railway Museum and it shows on their digital archive.

What I know so far is that it was manufactured by Kongsberg Vapenfabrikk of Norway, a munitions works with rail and track divisions (silver mines as well as large stock trains) the meter is of extremely sturdy build and is housed within a wooden fitted case, a screw at the side releases a large stone plate attached to a spring for measuring vibration, the results are written to a spinning tachograph disc, all powered by a D size battery. Included is a picture of the device set up, mini spanner and screwdriver.

Despite a good hour or two trawling results in English and Norwegian I have been unable to find out much, does anyone have any experience of a similar piece of kit ?

Thanks in advance for any assistance, pics below.

[DSY011]

Hello atticus-vintage and welcome to the Railway Forum. I have never heard of a Kongsberg Tellus Type Vibration Gauge, so I am unable tio help you.

[wyvern]

Kongsburg are a Norwegian instrumentation company. If it has been used on the railway it would probably be through their marine division, maybe some form of dynamometer. Or it may be a seismometer from their Oil and Gas Technologies Division.

It is likely to be quite old - maybe from the 'forties or 'fifties. Have you tried contacting the company?

[atticus-vintage]

Thanks Sid.

Hi there wyvern I have contacted a couple of departments as well as the Norwegian railway museum but nobody can tell me anything other than its basic function, Kongsberg said that it was for 'Railroads' and that they couldnt service it !

The third picture on my first post shows the device set and it does look like its against some sort of track.

Best, Jon

[hereward]

Vibration detectors appear to be used in machinery to warn of possible bearing failure. I could imagine that instrument being installed near a locomotive motor and examined at the end of the day.

[Ploughman]

Wonder if it is a version of the "Hallade Track Recorder"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vybOobUK1FE

[hereward]

Seems to be similar but that one has several styluses, the one here seems to have one for recording one movement. I enquired what those white squares were for that are painted on the carriageway of motorways. Apparently they have a lorry monitoring the condition of the road surface, the squares are to tell the computer where the lorry is. Saves having a bloke hanging out of the window in mask and goggles.

[Ploughman]

The white squares on the road are known distance markers. Typically 1/4 mile apart.
Councils may use them some times but the proper reason is do with Police Speed traps.
Still used but largely superceeded by roadside vans now.
Cross the first one, stopwatch started, cross the second one before time Stopwatch says "Naughty Naughty".
Postman brings you a begging letter or the nice man on the motorbike with flashing blue lights in the farm gateway stops you for a chat.

The highway vehicles tend to use the bar coded signs seen on some lamp posts etc. Some on the York Ring rd.

[hereward]

Hi Bryan -I had heard about those markings for speed traps but wasn’t convinced since a policeman with a radar gun on a bridge would be more effective. I’m going back over ten years, but today Global Positioning System would be cheaper than painting squares on the carriageway, if that’s what they were for. Think I said somewhere else that all you hear and half you see may not be true.

[Ploughman]

The policeman on a bike is a certainty from personal experience on the A59 at the top of Blubberhouses.
The PC also asked me if I knew what the white marks were for. He then gave me chapter and verse on their purpose.