9.3.3 WWSL Work Cars

Prototype Information.

Railroad rights of way need lots of maintenance, and that means lots of people scattered all over the property building, repairing, digging, painting, and performing a host of other tasks on a daily basis. Lots of people and projects means that a railroad needs lots of maintenance of way cars to support them, transport them, store their tools and equipment, and to even give them someplace to sleep.

The WWSL 

The WWSL began its life in search of used equipment to meet the myriad of online business opportunities that mandated its creation and operations. Some equipment was transferred from the OPLC, most were purchased thru equipment brokers such as Fitzhugh-Luther and xxx.

Among the early maintenance cars were tool and bunk cars. These car had broad steps immediately below the door and a ladder to the left, classic maintenance duty features. These likely included caboose 623, which may have used parts from a boxcar of the same number, and possibly also cabooses 603 and 604, though their origin is not known for certain. XX also sold the WWSL a group of flat cars numbered 400-426. Bunk cars X20-25, X40 and X-66 were rebuilt in 1934 from cars in this series, though again their original numbers are not known. Separate records have not been found for the majority of cars in these two groups.

rutland rr flat cars as replacements for the flat cars, in turn converting the Fitzhugh-Luther flat cars to tool, bunk and other specialty cars.

Under WWSL ownership, maintenance cars were numbered according to their MOW use. The WWSL apparently began the policy of adding "X" before maintenance car numbers by the late -1930s.

• The X-10 series are designated for use in the Wrecking Train
  
• The X-20 series are designated for use in the Outfit Train
• The X-30 series are designated for use in the Company Supply Train
  
• The X-40 series are designated for use in the Fire and/or Weed Spraying Train
  
• The X-50 series are designated for use in the Cantenary Train
  
• The X-60 series are designated for use in the MOW Train
  
• The X-70 series are designated for use in the Snow Train

RR Name	AAR Car Code	Description	Car Number	Car Class
MW	MWW	Crane	X-10
MW		Crane Tender	X-11
MW		Crane Fuel Tender	X-12
MW	MWT	Truck Car	X-13	FM 07-1
MW	MWC	Tool / Caboose	X-14	FC-2
MW	MWX	Foreman (Commissary)	X-20	XM
MW	MWX	Bunk	X-21 -22	XM
MW	MWX	Kitchen / Dining	X-23	XM
MW	MWX	Shower	X-24	XM
MW	MWM	Tool	X-25	XM
MW	MWC	Water / Caboose	X-26	FC-2
MW	MWF	Wheel Car	X-30	FM07-1
MW	MWM	Supply	X-31	FM07-1
MW	MWMS	Supply	X-32	GS 18-1
MW	MWMS	Sand	X-33-34	HM18-3
MW	MWMW	Weed / fire car	X-40	XM
MW	MWMW	Tank	X-41- 42	T10-2
MW	MWMW	Fire tender	X-43
MW	MWC	Fire car / caboose	X-44	FC-3
MW	MWF	Platform Car	X-50	FM07-1
MW	MWF	Wire Reel Car	X-51	FM07-1
MW	MWST	Rotary substation Transformer	X-52	XM
MW	MWC	Tool Car / Caboose	X-53	FC-4
MW	MWE	Jordan Spreader	X-60
MW	MWF	Rail Car	X-61	FM07-1
MW	MWF	Tie Car	X-62	FM07-1
MW	MWF	Pole Car	X-63	FM07-1
MW	MWU	2 Crane Car	X-64	FM07-1
MW	MWB	Ballast, Hart, Comp	X-65	HM18-2
MW	MWT	Tool Car	X-66	XM
MW	MWF	Flat Car (Catapillar)	X-67	FC-5
MW	MWF	Tunnel	X-71	HM18-4
MW	MWE	Plow Car	X-72	G18-2
MW	MWE	Flanger	X-73	FC-6
MW	MWMF	Foamite	X-45	FC-7

Modeling Information

I will be modeling these cars with an assortment of Athearn Blue Box, Varney, Mantua, Tyco and Bachmann models.

Click on the Car Number to get the specific car information and kitbatching project information.

 By the 1950s, nearly all the former cars had been scrapped, or in some cases grounded as sheds at Coal Grove, Headquarters or Wickwood. Excepting a few flat cars, early all the remaining wood-underframe freight cars not sold for scrap were converted to maintenance service in the years after World War II, particularly in 1947 and 1954.

Reference Information

 Sacramento Northern Railroad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pennsylvania Railroad sold the WWSL at least two steel coaches, and a matching baggage car in 1907. The coaches were almost immediately converted to bunk cars 353 and 354. The baggage car was numbered 90 and logically used as a trailer for baggage, express and milk shipments. In 1912 it became a traveling demonstration car for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to promote rural electrification. Later the car was converted to a maintenance car, probably around the line's 1918 reorganization as the Sacramento Northern Railroad.

Another Fitzhugh-Luther flat car conversion, MW 938 was found at Fairfield in 1946.

Reassigned by the SNRY as a pole car in 1932, it was built in 1907 as NERY 1213.
Several converted to maintenance service in 1929 were scrapped in the general house cleaning of 1949.

Three used tank cars were purchased in 1937 as water cars MW 66-68. They were often assigned to the weed burner train. The wooden box protected a hose reel and nozzle.

Of special interest are the SN's three 7,500 gallon water tanks, MW 66-68. These were purchased used in 1937 from an unknown source. At first glance, they are similar to American Car & Foundry Type IV tanks built around 1910. Although they probably had other uses, the tanks were often used for fire control on weed burner trains. At least two had large boxes next to their domes to protect water hoses and valves, and possibly gasoline-powered pumps.

the SN did not use powered service equipment.