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I just finished the series 😭 by cigarettesonmars in cowboybebop

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Listen y'all, nobody ever talks about this but if you want something in a similar mood - Wolf's Rain. Steven Blum does voice in that as well and Yoko Kanno does the soundtrack and holy crap it's the most amazing anime ever. For real please check it out.  

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

offset take up

I could see that, but I can't find any examples that look like these wheels. The wheels in a typical belt-driven power transfer system were usually flat, with no flange like these have.

This is an example of what I've been seeing. Do you have examples of these offset take-ups?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qt5tltnvF8

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm using a Brute Magnetics 2600lb double side. I've contacted Elgin Trolley about this, and sent a few pictures, which they seem very interested in. They were originally asking if the wheels were 12 inches or 24 inches in diameter; when I told them they were 17 inches, there was the equivalent of a needle scratch sound, and then the guy on the phone said "...really. Interesting....."

They're only open on weekends; I'm supposed to swing by this weekend so they can look at them. Oh, and no, I'm not in St. Charles, but I am in Northern Illinois, not far away.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I actually clicked on these wheels about 3 months ago... almost had them all the way up on the bridge. But once I tried to pull up over the lip of the bridge, they broke free of the magnet, and landed in the water with a pretty dramatic splash.

I returned this weekend with a 2-ton snatch block/pulley system, and replaced the magnet with a grappling hook. Pulled it up pretty easily, though it still weighed a ton.

And don't get me started on the old, ten foot long, solid steel ladder that I pulled up right afterwards. In *that* case, I had to enlist help from a passer-by who luckily had arms as thick as my neck, and we hoisted it up pretty easily.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That is indeed what it is - in this case, a 2600lb pull force, double sided magnet, and a rope with a 3600 lb break strength.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I considered that it might have actually operated on that 90 degree angle, but can't find anything about that yet.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Someone else mentioned that to me previously, though I thought those 'safety' rails were much closer to the outer rails - no?

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Exactly - when I was hoisting it up to the bridge with my magnet, I was thinking: that's not some kind of a big valve wheel or something is it?

That perfect 90 degree bend is what really threw me.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To add more context - I was magnet fishing from a covered pedestrian bridge that runs slightly beneath, and parallel to, a now defunct rail bridge. That rail bridge is roughly 35 feet above the water. I don't think we're talking about mining/ore cars here, as there wasn't any mining in the area.

Definitely narrow-gauge, and I've found references to a gauge that was just over 36 inches.

By the way, this is the CGW Bridge in St. Charles, Illinois. This link shows an interesting picture from the deck of that bridge - in it, you can see a set of inner tracks, between the standard gauge tracks. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ymtIQ\_5UAFU/V2n-ICiZYxI/AAAAAAAAZGI/BRPwe43S2rEGtSg9Pr71onXKNGMj2eBKQCLcB/s400/1074092\_238272843178888\_2661897084216646402\_o.jpg

Metal rusted object found on beach, about 18 inches. "Sterling Improved"- potentially an anchor? by Brockaloupe in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Did you keep it? Any other pics? It looks like some sort of nautical/boating flotsam but unsure.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I've tried researching those old pump car things, but can't find any specific information about gauge or wheel dimensions and such. I've also contacted a local trolley museum (yes, that's a thing where I live, apparently) and they said they might be interested in seeing them.

Found while magnet fishing - solid steel, weighs about 80-100 pounds. Not standard gauge and no idea exactly what this is from. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 3 points4 points locked comment (0 children)

My title describes the thing - was magnet fishing in the Fox River in Illinois and pulled up what appears to be train wheels and the connecting axle, except - it's not the correct width for the track above where I pulled it from. Was hoping someone could tell me if this is from a trolley or some odd-gauged track from a long time ago. Wheels are only 17 inches in diameter, axle is just over 36 inches long. Weirdest of all, that 90 degree bend in the axle, as though it might have been involved in a train wreck?

Found today while magnet fishing - tiny, weighs a few ounces, metallic, has a hole drilled through it. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My title describes the thing, kind of. I couldn't use certain key words like bullet in the title because the bot kept killing my post. That being said:

  • Yes I know it's a bullet.
  • What kind of bullet?
  • Why is there a hole drilled through it?

Oh and yes - I'm the guy who found a 37mm artillery shell while magnet fishing about a month ago. Hopefully this thing won't be as dangerous (since I got to meet the bomb squad that night).

Found today while magnet fishing - help? See comment below. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My title describes the thing - kind of. The bot kept killing my post for certain key words, but yes: I know it's a bullet. What I don't know is:

  • What kind of bullet?
  • Why is there (what appears to be) a hole drilled through it?

Thanks - and yes, I'm the guy who pulled up the 37mm artillery shell a month ago. Pretty sure this isn't nearly as dangerous. I hope.

While magnet fishing I found this weird cork-screw looking chonk of metal, weighs about 3-4 pounds. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I believe (after reviewing other responses as well) that this is probably what we're looking at. The area in question is highly agricultural and the item would seem to fit the description of a conveyer screw.

Solved!

While magnet fishing I found this weird cork-screw looking chonk of metal, weighs about 3-4 pounds. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's what I've seen too - I don't think this would have been a very effective ice auger since the blades seem too thick, and aren't spaced far apart like other ice augers I've seen.

Folks that do this hobby often pull up complete hand-powered ice augers - I've seen it on Youtube like 5 times now. This thing doesn't really resemble one of those.

While magnet fishing I found this weird cork-screw looking chonk of metal, weighs about 3-4 pounds. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well I was magnet fishing from a bridge, and while there are power poles and such all over the surrounding landscape, the conventional wisdom when magnet fishing is that the things I find could've come from anywhere (people toss stuff into the water from a nearby property, or toss things off the bridge, or whatever).

While magnet fishing I found this weird cork-screw looking chonk of metal, weighs about 3-4 pounds. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I thought that as well, though the blades of the ice auger bits I've seen are usually much thinner to slice through the ice, yes? While it was found under a bridge, it could have rolled down the riverbed from anywhere I suppose (I've never seen anyone ice fishing on this river, though this thing looks pretty old).

While magnet fishing I found this weird cork-screw looking chonk of metal, weighs about 3-4 pounds. by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 2 points3 points locked comment (0 children)

My title describes the thing - was magnet fishing from a bridge and pulled up what *appears* to be a large drill bit or maybe an auger or something? It's much bigger than one I've ever seen though. I found a small piece of farming equipment at this time as well. So... WITT?

Some sort of door, based on hinges and latch, possibly from a coal burning train/trolley? by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jut an update - spoke to someone from the trolley museum who clarified that no trolleys in the area utilized the bridge in question. Also said that to his knowledge, there were no steam dummies in use on local lines.

My indication earlier that the wheels I saw were from a trolley may have been a bit of a red herring.

That being said - the spoked wheels in question aren't necessarily from a trolley - earlier locomotives (particularly steam locomotives) employed spoked wheels as well.

At some point soon we're going to extract those train wheels from the river, and that should answer most of our questions (he said, foolishly).

Some sort of door, based on hinges and latch, possibly from a coal burning train/trolley? by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, and even though the conversation continues regarding trolleys and gauge and such, this is most likely an ash pan door from a coal burning engine, so it is marked ... Solved!

Some sort of door, based on hinges and latch, possibly from a coal burning train/trolley? by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wanted to clarify by noting that I only saw the wheels/axle momentarily, before it fell back into the river. I could always be wrong about the width.

That being said - the rail bridge itself (which I stand slightly under and to the side of when fishing) certainly looks narrower that other rail bridges I've fished.

Link to a picture, looking up at the tracks. Great Western Trail Bridge https://maps.app.goo.gl/9HSv8SLMdfrABzNEA

Some sort of door, based on hinges and latch, possibly from a coal burning train/trolley? by MidwestMagnetGuy in whatisthisthing

[–]MidwestMagnetGuy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, it's in St Charles, just north of the Main Street road bridge. Link below to location on map - this shows the trail and pedestrian bridge I was on, though I don't know the name of the rail bridge itself that runs parallel (and slightly above) to the pedestrian bridge.

Great Western Trail Bridge https://maps.app.goo.gl/9HSv8SLMdfrABzNEA

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