What Is It? for 10/16/12

I have been puzzling over this one, there are a few unusual features. It is not your average run-of-the-mill valve radio, not at all like the ones I used to play with (or the radiogram in my garage). Obviously the resistors, capacitors and (probably point-to-point) wiring are on the underside of the chassis, as is normal. It is not unusual for audio amps (hi-fi and guitar) to have nothing on top of the chassis but the valves and transformer(s), but I've never seen a valve radio as uncluttered as this. And where are the speakers? Is it actually a stereo receiver (hence the three transformers, and lack of speakers)? But this doesn't seem quite right either. I would be interested to know more.

Agree it's quite an up-market job. Maybe part of an early stereogram? It would be good to know.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it doesn't look particularly 'high-end', and certainly nothing like the nice units produced by the likes of Fisher, Saba, etc. In fact, it looks quite old, probably earlier than 1960. But stereo didn't really come to the fore until after this, and if it is not stereo, why does it need nine valves? Puzzling, but I think you're right, an early stereogram seems most likely.

Good job! You are right.

I concur

Photo 2: a very substantial toe jack?

Second image: Never seen one quite like this one, but looks like the general layout of a railroad track jack. The bar leaning against the jack appears to be part of an equalizer hitch; the two don't quite go together.

Could be, though personal experience suggests something a bit smaller for that application. 15T ratchet jacks are a bit more -sized, and the ratchet facility is useful for dropping the jack quickly in the event of needing to use the line for traffic. The beastie in original picture 2 appears not to have that facility and is taller and heavier than it needs to be for that particular task.

The handle in original picture 2 is probably too small to be a pinch-bar, a device used for moving vehicles small distances by hand; agreed that it appears to be from something else currently unknown.

Agreed, the available lift seems excessive for a trackjack. I have seen more of the type you posted, but there is this sort of thing:

I've never worked as a gandy dancer, but a number of my acquaintance over the years have worked the rails and their garages are always full of interesting stuff (retired and obsolete stuff I have always assumed).

#2- toe jack of the type commonly used by riggers for machinery leveling & for forklift repair

Damn those time zones! i think also that it is a (Hit the road)Jack

Dell, everyone knows that bankers have a Cayman credit card to keep up appearances!

When you say "(Hit the road)Jack"

Do you mean some king of specialised tamping machine?

Like this?

No, I thought it looked a bit like this:-

Especially the foot.

Is the tool leaning against the jack used to align either the holes at the ends of the rails with the fishplates, or is it used to align the baseplates to pre-drilled holes in the ties, or both?

Looks like a riggers jack (note the shape of the handle is much like a spud bar for setting steel).

Photo #2 is a House Jack.

The first image was a vintage radiola, and the second image was a house jack. Good work everyone!