Back in '63, I worked for the summer at a chemical company as a laborer and we spotted loaded rail cars by hand using a track jack. Are they still used?
Thanks, I did see an ad for one after I decided to surf the web for an answer. Had a shorter (54") handle than I remember, but that was 54 years ago! Loved the coincidence in the numbers. lol We spotted both loaded hoppers and box cars. Really thought it was super cool!
During my long career in heavy manufacturing, I'd receive occasional phone calls from unknown salespeople hoping to sell me one of these things. They'd talk breathlessly about the benefits of ownership until I'd interrupt and inform them that my plant moved over 100 railcars each day on a dozen miles of track. "Oh", was the usual one word reply.
Or a slightly used Trackmobile, once driven by this miscreant at NASA's Mississippi Test Facility in 1964. OK, I only tipped it on its nose once.
The terminology "track jack" might confuse a few folks. A track jack is usually a tool section crews use when working on track. We always called these a car mover.