# Building a MOW train



## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Ok, I want to start putting together a MOW type train, the ballast tenders, cleaners, layers, the whole 9 yards worth of a MOW type train.

I have a few pieces already that I plan to use to start one (pictured below), what else should I get/do I need for a proper MOW train?

Bunk car









Crane and crane boom car









Engine that I selected for MOW train


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

New Berlin RR said:


> I have a few pieces already that I plan to use to start one (pictured below), what else should I get/do I need for a proper MOW train?


That depends. What does the train do? An "MOW Train" is a pretty vague term. Railroads have all sorts of company service and maintenance equipment for various uses. The types of cars in a particular work train will be selected based on the work that needs to be done. 

The crane pictured is a heavy wreck crane, used mostly for cleaning up wrecks and derailments, not track maintenance.

If it's a track gang, it'll probably have a few gondolas of fresh ties and track supplies like joints and tie plates. Throw in a couple of boxcars or old converted baggage cars for tool and supply cars. Perhaps a generator car for power tools. Maybe a flatcar or two with rail. If you're laying rail, probably a _light_ diesel crane, plus its associated boom car (flatcar with equipment lockers with supplies for the hoist).

If it's a communication gang working on phone or telegraph lines along the tracks, lose the tie gons, rail flats and cranes and add in some cable cars (box or baggage cars).

If it's a wreck train (to go along with the wreck crane you have) you've got the crane, boom car, supply cars like a block car (boxcar with various wooden blocking for stabilizing and jacking the crane and other cars), and maybe some gons or flatcars to bring home wrecked cars that can't be safely moved on their own wheels. If there's major track damage as a result of a wreck though, a track gang will be probably out with it as well, as the priority will be to get the mainline open and running again. Derailed cars can be pushed off to the side and cleaned up later.

If the train is going to a remote location, where the track gang needs to be bunked on site, add in a collection of bunk/outfit cars - sleepers, dining cars, shower cars, water supply tankcar, foreman's office car, etc.

So, depending on what needs to be done, the train could be a collection of supply, tool and bunk cars that gets set out on a siding somewhere for several days, or it could be as simple as a self-propelled crane with a pair of flatcars picking up old ties or scrap along the side of the tracks after a major track project. (Or, laying out ties and track components in preparation for a major track project.)

There's really no such thing as a one size fits all "MOW Train". Since you've got the "big hook", you're probably wanting to have appropriate cars for a wreck train. A track maintanance train would be cool too, but will be a completely separate set of cars.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

wow....looks complicated LOL! guess I better continue looking at pictures and what not...another question, how does one go selecting an engine for each one? or is it just what ever is available is used?


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I just love MOW...but only a little bit...


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

New Berlin RR said:


> wow....looks complicated LOL! guess I better continue looking at pictures and what not...another question, how does one go selecting an engine for each one? or is it just what ever is available is used?


The best engine would be one separated by at least a generation or two...today you'd use an SD40-2 or a GP50, 25 years ago, you'd have used a GP7, an old Trainmaster or a Baldwin. 50+ years ago would have found the last steam engines pulling them...


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ok tad confused on this, so a modern set up would bt the SD40-2 and 25 years ago are things like train masters? or am i misreading it?

the train master (i think?) in my pic is what I plan to use...keep in mind my RR spans from WW2 (pre/just after WW1) to modern day

also would this be your trainmaster?











shaygetz said:


> The best engine would be one separated by at least a generation or two...today you'd use an SD40-2 or a GP50, 25 years ago, you'd have used a GP7, an old Trainmaster or a Baldwin. 50+ years ago would have found the last steam engines pulling them...


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

That is not a trainmaster, it's an EMD SD7 or SD9. The TrainMaster was a very different locomotive built by Fairbanks-Morse, officially a H24-66.

What shaygetz is simply saying is that a maintanence or wreck train would not normally get the railroad's newest power, just whatever old engine is available. Since you are basically running a one or two engine shoreline, that is whatever engine is convenient at the time. A particular engine wouldn't really be permanently assigned to the train, especially since maintenance or wreck trains are special occurrences.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ah ok, cool, well i just want to build these correctly as they will be perminant fixtures on my layout, as in when not needed they will stay parked, but they will be used as needed on my layout (pictures, other clubbers trains crash, ect)


@shay: can you build me a few of them odd pieces you got there, i love them!!!


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Here's the one I want to build.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

That would be very cool to build.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Love the pics. Looks like this is going to be a great thread!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

tdeuwaite what is that thing anyway? Don't think I've ever seen that one. pete


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

What does this car do? 
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p96/1shaygetz/trackcar.jpg


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

norgale said:


> What does this car do?
> http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p96/1shaygetz/trackcar.jpg


I am gonna guess that it is used to clean and repair tunnel portals based upon the shape and design..


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## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

brylerjunction said:


> I am gonna guess that it is used to clean and repair tunnel portals based upon the shape and design..


I may be wrong,as I am so frequently:laugh:but I believe that is a car to test clearances, ( Height and Width ),but again I could be wrong.


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

steam chaser said:


> I may be wrong,as I am so frequently:laugh:but I believe that is a car to test clearances, ( Height and Width ),but again I could be wrong.


that makes more sense then what I said..


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

norgale said:


> What does this car do?
> http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p96/1shaygetz/trackcar.jpg


Yess...it's a track clearance and test car...I just shaped it to an NMRA standards guage.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

cool, so what are the basics I should look at, bunk car, flats and crane for the track gang? I partly want to leave each train set up in my train yard if i can build one for use when needed


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## Lee_R (May 30, 2012)

My old Tyco "Spirit of '76" came with one crane car that went with a flat car that had a few pieces of rail, some ties, and a couple wheel/axle assemblies on one end (low "wooden" sides as well), and the other end was a caboose-like structure. I'll post a picture if I can dig one up. But I would think that something like that would be a good start, and then expand from there, depending on whether you're going for a wreck train, or just standard maintenance, or... There's so many facets to building and maintaining a track that there's just no "one size fits all" MOW trains.


These were what I had:


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

My "toys" cost very little as I take great pleasure in using junkbox castoffs. The hobby industry doesn't think very much of me for that reason.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Shay you always have good stuff!:thumbsup:

I found this on a search.






CHeck out the ditch lights.


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

thats a big train...interesting how they just laid those buildings on the flat cars


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

They must go out days at a time and work around the clock.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

looks like one of them around the clock work units...


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

on another note if I want to use kits like the following, what more should I get? would this be enough to run as a true track gang as of now? would I need other units/cars?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40029233584...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1054

http://www.ebay.com/itm/39043169472...VRI&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2661#ht_12881wt_1037

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33075025340...VRI&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2661#ht_11982wt_1037


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

eBay links two and three are definitely european, not north American. They've got European style buffers and couplings and trucks.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

I figured they were, but I should still be able to convert them i think...


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Go to Youtube and type in 'railroad maintenance' and you'll see all the latest equipment for MOW. Decide what you want for your RR and then start searching/building. Pete


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Not sure if anyone mentioned these, but Difco dump cars and ballast hoppers are also MOW equipment.

Difco dump cars
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-7912

Ballast hopper
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-34239


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Geeze! $20 bucks a pop for a thre pack on the ballast cars. That's a lot of money for a little freight car. Pete


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