Buda didn't just make switch stands....

[Jeff Young]

(Public domain image from wiki commons.)

[Robert McFarland]

What is the doohicky attached to the rail?

[Jeff Young]

> What is the doohicky attached to the rail?

Drill.

[Chris Walker]

Periscope Films published the 1907 Buda Catalog, well worth the price and is still available.

http://www.railroadhandcar.com/history/catalog/buda/buda-catalog-1906.pdf

Handcars, Stoves and some Switchstands are in here...not the tracktools unfortunately

[Jimmy Blouch]

It is a rail drill.
Was used for drilling bolt holes for angle bars.
During this time period most of them were manual.
This one has been rigged up somehow to be powered by the motor car.

Jimmy

[Chris Walker]

Notice the Grindstone on the other end of the powershaft, technical advancement at work here.

The raildrill is the Paulus Patent, a 1890 date with a later version here
http://www.google.com/patents/US1034825

[Jeff Ramsey]

One of these is needed in Como.