tamping machine

English

Noun

tamping machine (plural tamping machines)

1. (rail transport) A self-propelled rail-mounted machine used to pack or tamp ballast under railway tracks; a ballast tamper.
   • 1964 October, “News: New tamping machines for WR”, in Modern Railways, page 277:

     The BRB has ordered from Plasser & Theurer, through Plasser Railway Machinery (GB) Ltd., a total of 27 Plassermatic VKR-05-E hydraulic track levelling and tamping machines with electronic-beam levelling units.

   • 2020 February 12, “Network News”, in RAIL, page 24:

     A near-miss between a tamping machine and a passenger train at Balham Junction on April 20 2019 was caused by a lack of information, lack of querying instructions and poor safety-critical communications.