A work train or departmental train (engineering train in the UK) is one or more rail cars intended for internal non-revenue use by the railroad's operator. Work trains serve functions such as

track maintenance A railway track (British English and International Union of Railways, UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a Rail transport, railway or railroad consisting of ...

maintenance of way Maintenance of way (commonly abbreviated to MOW) refers to the maintenance, construction, and improvement of rail infrastructure, including tracks, ballast, grade, and lineside infrastructure such as signals and signs. Track The most fundamen ...

, revenue collection, system cleanup and waste removal, heavy duty hauling, and crew member transport.

Types of work trains

Locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...

s and

cab unit In North American railroad terminology, a cab unit is a railroad " locomotive" with its own cab and controls. "Carbody unit" is a related term, which may be either a cabless booster unit controlled from a linked cab unit, or a cab unit that con ...

s * Track maintenance equipment (

track geometry car A track geometry car (also known as a track recording car) is an automated track inspection vehicle on a rail transport system used to test several parameters of the track geometry without obstructing normal railroad operations. Some of the p ...

s, ballast regulators,

ballast tamper Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship ...

cars, ballast cleaners, stoneblowers, rail grinders, Sperry rail cars, ballast loaders/removers,

hopper car A hopper car (US) or hopper wagon ( UIC) is a type of railroad freight car used to transport loose bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, and track ballast. Two main types of hopper car exist: covered hopper cars, which are equipped with ...

s, continuous welded rail handlers, weld cars,

track renewal train A track renewal train (also known as a track renewal system or new track construction machine) is a work train that consists of many units of machinery and materials required for track renewal (rail and sleeper replacement) projects. Rail prepa ...

) * Flood cleanup cars (reach cars, pump cars, hose cars) * Snow removal cars * Rail inspection cars * Refuse motor cars * De-icer cars *

Rail adhesion car A rail adhesion car or rail adhesion train is a modified vehicle used on a rail adhesion system where the standard equipment does not have locomotives' rail sanding ability. In particular, it may involve tanks and dispensing equipment installed ...

s * Crane cars * Dump cars * Flatbed cars * Signal supply cars * Tanker cars * Vacuum cars * Revenue collection cars *

Rider car Rider or Riders may refer to: People * Daniel Rider (1938–2008), American mathematician * Fremont Rider (1885–1962), American writer and librarian * George Rider (1890–1979), American college sports coach and administrator * H. Rider Hagga ...

s * Sweeper Cleaner * Rail bridge inspection * Weed spray rail * Bush cutter rail * Excavator rail

Gallery

WMATA PM35 at Eisenhower Avenue.jpg, A

Washington Metro The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,Google Books search/preview

work car in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

providing support for a track maintenance operation Ballast Tamper.JPG, Ballast tamping machine as used in railroad track maintenance in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

RD417 work 34 plat jeh.JPG, A

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...

work train Work_train_macarthur_station.jpg, work train at the construction of a freight line in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, Australia East Side Access GCT cavern with work train.jpg, work train in

East Side Access East Side Access (ESA) is a public works project in New York City that extended the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from its Main Line in Queens into a new station under Grand Central Terminal on Manhattan's East Side. A project of the Metropol ...

cavern under construction in New York City

Types of work trains

Gallery

See also