I just got a box car that I won off eBay and it has the following lettering on the side;
What is a material car and why does it need to be hauled in the rear of the train?
I’m trying to build up my rolling stock inventory and this one caught my eye as an alternative to the many…many boxcar red color cars I’ve been collecting, that and the fact that it was priced right. I just didn’t notice these unusual instructions when I placed my bid (not that that would have stopped me from bidding on it). I guess I really need to brush up on my railroad operation practices.
The MW number means Maintenance of Way, which is a boxcar to carry track repair materials to a work site or storage area. It would probably be moved at the rear of the train because the air brakes have been removed when the car was taken from main line service or there is some other defect that makes it’s use in mid-train illegal.
air brake rules would not alow a car with no-opporotive air brakes to be placed as the last car… infact…a car with non-opporating air brakes have to be no closer then 5 from the rear end of the train… why this car might be placed on the rear could be (this is only speculation since im T&E not MOW) to protect track equipment that is rideing on a flat car in front of it from possably falling off the rear of the train if the tie downs and chocks should fail…
“Back in the day” these cars carried supplies that would be dropped off at maintenance sheds along the right-of-way. Often they would be dropped at a siding to be unloaded & picked up by the same local on the way back. Being in the rear made them close to the caboose for switching purposes.[8D]
