Between the two world wars of last century Austro Daimler factory introduced a light one-seater inspection vehicle for the railway service.. |
Two axles were provided under a simple chassis. An air-cooled two stroke engine with gears (250 cc Puch Motor-cycle engine) drove the front axle by a chain link. The gears provided for forward drive only. |
| The engine was covered by a simple bonnet. The uppermost section of the bonnet carried a fuel tank. The exhaust pipe ran along the left chassis member as far as the rear end of the vehicle, where a silencer was fitted. |
| Rods could be inserted in suitable openings in the chassis. These levers could be used to raise and lower the vehicle on to the track. |
There was a small battery at the rear end of the chassis to power the ignition. and the lighting. A sprung reflector was hung at the front. Many vehicles could have a supplementary Loco lantern attached to the right side of the engine cover. |
The seat consisted of a free swinging steel pipe assembly that was covered by stretched linen material. It had no kind of weather- protection. Under the driver's seat there .was a square or round little box mounted on the chassis for a tool kit. |
This vehicle type could be supplied with axles for various rail gauges upwards from 750/760 mm. There were exchangeable axles for 950 mm (?Italian) and 1067 mm. (?Sweden, ?Ecuador, ?Cape) on offer in the spares catalogue. In Austria there were for 1434 mm. (normal gauge) and 760 mm. (narrow gauge) On the ÖBB the dark green vehicles (2/3model) carried the insignia X710 or X710.9 and were mainly used as motorised small vehicles for rail and signal announcing. |
At least one vehicle of this once widespread type is kept prominently restored in private ownership. |
