B&O CE-15 (1904 Tunnel Clearance Car "Leaping Lena")
On display at the B&O RR Museum Baltimore MD
When the bridges and tunnels were first built for the railroads, they were built to accommodate the small locomotives at the time. As time went on, the locomotives and its equipment got larger and wider, and tunnel clearances became an issue for the railroad.
In 1904, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) built the tunnel-clearance car No. X-15. It was used to measure close clearances along the line. The B&O No.X-15 was built from a flat car and had the body of a single-truck caboose. The No.X-15 was used to measure tunnel clearances, over-head bridges, and any other structures that were close to the track. The No.X-15 usually operated with the No. 908 Office Car as living quarters for the crew.
The No. CE-15 was the only car of its type on the B&O. It retired to the B&O Railroad Museum after it had been replaced by more advanced measuring technology. It was recently restored in 2005.
B&O CE-15 (1904 Tunnel Clearance Car "Leaping Lena")
On display at the B&O RR Museum Baltimore MD
When the bridges and tunnels were first built for the railroads, they were built to accommodate the small locomotives at the time. As time went on, the locomotives and its equipment got larger and wider, and tunnel clearances became an issue for the railroad.
In 1904, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) built the tunnel-clearance car No. X-15. It was used to measure close clearances along the line. The B&O No.X-15 was built from a flat car and had the body of a single-truck caboose. The No.X-15 was used to measure tunnel clearances, over-head bridges, and any other structures that were close to the track. The No.X-15 usually operated with the No. 908 Office Car as living quarters for the crew.
The No. CE-15 was the only car of its type on the B&O. It retired to the B&O Railroad Museum after it had been replaced by more advanced measuring technology. It was recently restored in 2005.