Southern Pacific MT-19A Inspection Motor Car

Builder/Model: Fairmont MT-19A inspection car
Year Built:  Between 1966 and 1986
Original Owner: Southern Pacific Railroad
Purpose: A railroad motorcar (also known as a speeder, inspection car, section car, track-maintenance car, crew car) is a small railcar used around the world by track inspectors and railroad work crews between the late 1890’s and the 1990’s to move quickly to and from work sites. Although slow compared to a train or car, it was known as a speeder because it is faster than a human-powered vehicle such as a handcar.  Most speeders have a top speed of about 35 MPH. Prior to these cars with gasoline motors, hand cars were used but workers often arrived at the worksite exhausted due to the strenuous work of a handcar. 
Motor Car History:   Motorized inspection cars date back to at least 1896, when it was reported that the U.S. Daimler Motor Company created a gasoline-powered rail inspection car capable of 15 mph. In the 1990s, most motorcars were replaced by Hi-Rail (for “highway-railroad”) vehicles which are typically pickup trucks with steel flanged wheels that can be lowered for traveling on rails.   These days, motorcars are collected by hobbyists, who refurbish them for excursions organized by the North American Railcar Operators Association in the U.S. and Canada.

The car arrives at the Museum by trailer.

It is put on a flat bed truck…

In order to get it up and into the Museum and onto four 4-wheel carts to move inside the Museum.
Thanks to West Coast Auto and Towing in Atascadero for the use of the truck!

The Team (L to R): Greg Jackson, David Litster, Howard Amborn, Karl Hovanitz, Dan Manion, and Ted Van Klaveren.
Not in the photo: Gary See and Brad LaRose.

Getting it up and onto its final home on the display track.

Photos by Gary See