EDMONTON TRANSIT SERVICE
LRT Specialty Equipment
Hi-Rail Multi Purpose Units #3589, 3850

3589 Ford L8000 hi rail, flat bed, stake side, with crane. This long term member of the LRT MoW fleet has been a very versatile piece of equipment. It's flat bed has seen it used to haul the skid mount water tank while the flat bed has been used for hauling everything from supplies for projects to debris from platform tile work. This truck is in the current LRT livery, having been upgraded from it's original "Flying E" and blue/ yellow stripes.

3850 Canron Rail Group Kal-Trac Switcher
. This is one of original members of the LRT equipment fleet and was used during the initial construction of the LRT. What hasn't this thing done? Off the top of my head that I've seen: catenary maintenance, moving freight cars, moving LRV's, hauling escalator parts in and out of Churchill, tunnel washing trains. In addition, Edmonton's Electric Transit notes it can be equipped with a snow blower, sweeper broom, or snow plough, and the dump box can be used to spread ballast (pg. 191). 3850 has retained it's yellow livery for it's entire career. It is powered by a Detroit Diesel 453 diesel engine, and Allison transmission. 3850 spent time running without it's dump box, which, I think was removed to help remove the escalator parts from Churchill. Around 2017 it was fitted with the body from 3870, the re-railing trailer, and relettered as "Derailment Response Unit", however, it often is still used for an assortment of duties as in the past.

(Sources: Personal observations, Edmonton's Electric Transit, Various Editions of the Canadian Trackside Guide)

Thumbnail Unit # Date Description
3589 April 26, 2003 3589 on display inside of DLM fitted with the water tank and with 7205 connected.
ets3689.jpg (77032 bytes) 3589 September 6, 2003 ETS #3689 is about to enter the right of way south of Belvedere Station. This is appears to be a flatbed truck equipped with a skid with a water tank on it. This was in the area shortly before the rail grinder started working. This unit may have been ready to extinguish any fires that could start from the sparks from the grinding, however it wasn't anywhere near when the grinding was taking place.
DSC03370.JPG (272672 bytes) 3589 August 29, 2008  ETS #3589 at Health Sciences Station while ETS was upgrading the signal system on the south end of the LRT line.
DSC03371.JPG (281461 bytes) 3589 August 29, 2008  ETS #3589 at Health Sciences Station while ETS was upgrading the signal system on the south end of the LRT line.
DSC03372.JPG (249052 bytes) 3589 August 29, 2008  ETS #3589 at Health Sciences Station while ETS was upgrading the signal system on the south end of the LRT line.
3589 August 31, 2010 ETS #3589 between Stadium Station and 112 Ave.
3589 July 31, 2012 #3589 inside of Churchill Station. While the Churchill junction was being built, and 1 track out of service, ETS replaced the tiles on the platform edge with yellow, tactile, tiles. 3589 was used to haul supplies and refuse out.
3589 July 31, 2012 #3589 inside of Churchill Station.
3589 September 28, 2019 ETS #3589 near the Kathleen Andrew's Transit Garage loaded with supplies for the installation of a pedestrian crossing related to the new garage. #3589 has been upgraded to the current ETS support equipment livery which makes that it's 4 variation of a livery to wear.
3850 April 26, 2003 ETS #3850 is a Kal Trac switcher built for Edmonton Transit by Canron Rail Group in 1977. It is seen here on display inside of D.L. McDonald.
3850 April 26, 2003 ETS #3850 is a Kal Trac switcher built for Edmonton Transit by Canron Rail Group in 1977. It is seen here on display inside of D.L. McDonald.
3850 September 15, 2006 ETS #3850 in Central Station with the lo-rail flat car equipped with it's catenary maintenance equipment.
3850 July 22, 2008 ETS #3850 with a SD160 delivery, waiting to be moved onto E track for unloading.
3850 July 22, 2008 ETS #3850 with a SD160 delivery, waiting to be moved onto E track for unloading.
DSC05519.JPG (267526 bytes) 3850 September 20, 2008 ETS #3850 working on the catenary in the D.L. McDonald Transit Yards.
DSC05521.JPG (224950 bytes) 3850 September 20, 2008 ETS #3850 working on the catenary in the D.L. McDonald Transit Yards.
3850 September 15, 2010 ETS #3850 exactly 4 years since the Central Station photo a few entries above. This time at Churchill Station, but still with the lo-rail flat car. This equipment was in Churchill helping with the electrical upgrades to allow 4 and 5 car SD160 trains, in particular the parallel messenger wire installation.
3850 April 6, 2011 ETS #3850 during a U2 arrival/ departure to/ from refurb, at Cromdale.
3850 August 29, 2012 #3850 taking a SP flat car back to 66 St for CN to pickup after unloading a SD160.
3850 August 29, 2012 #3850 taking a SP flat car back to 66 St for CN to pickup after unloading a SD160. Note the "coupler" in use with the flat car, and the lack of air connection. The grey piece would be capable of having an attachment to couple to LRV's.
3850 August 29, 2012 Having seen 3850 return to DLM via 129 Ave before, I went and set for a shot of the thing crossing the LRT. It looks even stranger on road!
3850 October 10, 2012 3850 pulling onto 66 St from the LRT ROW after being used to move freight cars around for unloading rail.

This page last updated on October 2019

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