Maintenance of Way cars

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I recently saw a UP train full of the usual assortment of freight cars, and a pair of green bunk cars thrown in for good measure. Most of the time when I’ve seen bunk cars on the UP, they’re usually sitting on a siding in the yard, looking unused but ready to go if necessary. The last MoW train I saw had the usual flat cars full of maintenance equipment, and several vintage box cars, but no bunk cars. So my question is:

Is it easier for today’s big railroads (BNSF, UP, CSX, NS, etc.) to house the MoW crews in motels, unless the track work to be performed is in a remote location which would require the railroad to provide on-site lodging?

2

Cris
the work train is kinda like a home away from home.the last one I saw for ns had grills and water tanks etc etc.the mow train you saw was probably was waiting to go somewhere soon or workers will be there soon. just depends how much is to be done.
stay safe
Joe

3

The UP was doing some track work and tie replacement in and around Salt Lake City last year when I saw the MoW train without the bunk cars. The train even had a school bus on a flat car which I imagine was used to ferry the track workers from whichever motel the employees were temporarily residing, to their track work equipment.

4

Was the bus painted white, like these?

http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=186411

There probably was a MoW train east of this location in Carroll, IA, but I didn’t get the opportunity to see it.

5

The MofW train is indeed at Carroll, put away on the south side across from the restored CNW depot.
Jeff

6

Yep, there was a white-painted bus just like in the picture. There’s a siding on the west side of UP’s North Salt Lake yard where the MoW machines were stashed when the track work ended for the day.

When the circus train comes to town, some of the train’s cars are stashed on the siding, and UP will occasionally do the same thing when a business train comes to town. With the business train, high-end SUVs are used to take the VIPs to their hotel rooms.

7

I have seen those around my neck of the woods a couple of years bcak when they were doing work on the main up tracks running though the city but I saw like 4 or 5 of those buses hauling workers.