A gas-powered, four-wheeled track vehicle that carries track inspectors and section gangs to work sites. They replaced hand-pumped handcars and allowed crews to cover much more territory without exhausting themselves before the real work began. Most feature a simple friction-drive transmission and can be lifted off the rails by hand to clear the line for trains.
We took the speeder out to milepost forty to check on that reported washout.
Railroads largely replaced these with hi-rail trucks, but historical societies and private collectors still run them on excursion routes.
Also heard as
- motorcar
- putt-putt
- track car
Related terms
Hi-rail
A truck fitted with retractable flanged wheels so it can drive on the track as well as on the road.
MOW
Maintenance of way: the department and crews that build and maintain track, bridges and roadbed.
Gandy dancer
A railroad track worker, especially one on a section or tie gang doing hands-on track work.