A Motor Car (also known as speeder, putt-putt, track-maintenance car) is a maintenance of way motorized vehicle formerly used on railroads around the world by track inspectors and work crews to move quickly to and from work sites.

Although it is slow compared to a train or car, it was often called a 'speeder' because it is faster than a human-powered vehicle. Motorized inspection cars date back to at least 1896, when it was reported that the U.S. Daimler Motor Company created a gasoline powered rail inspection car capable of 15mph.

These vehicles have been replaced with trucks (usually pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles) using flanged wheels that can be lowered for on-rail (called road-rail vehicles or hi-rails for highway-railroad).

Motor Cars are now typically collected by hobbyists, who refurbish them for excursions organized by the North American Railcar Operators Association NARCOA in the U.S. and Canada.

The society's collection of Motor Cars include:

Upcoming Events

Tue Dec 03 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
Forbidden Journeys - Bob Meldrum
Tue Jan 07 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
Railway Technology - Paul Clegg
Tue Feb 04 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
"Just when you thought that you'd been everywhere" - Tom Grumley
Tue Mar 04 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
Railway Telegraphy - Graeme Roy
Tue Apr 01 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
Night Photography - Steve Barry
Tue May 06 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
CN shops to military production - Normand Levert

Follow Us

FacebookTwitterYouTubeFlickr