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Looking through the collection today and I found this speeder to go with the other recent posts of these little track motor cars. This older style is the one that I am most familiar with. It is chasing behind a work train of sidedumps about a half mile ahead of it. The speaker on the cab top was real handy for listening to what, if any, rail traffic was in the area. It helped to plan where to go. Quite often, in downtown Redwater, as the section men brought the speeders out onto the track in the morning, you could do a little eavesdropping.
Copyright Notice: This image ©L. Parks all rights reserved.



Caption: Looking through the collection today and I found this speeder to go with the other recent posts of these little track motor cars. This older style is the one that I am most familiar with. It is chasing behind a work train of sidedumps about a half mile ahead of it. The speaker on the cab top was real handy for listening to what, if any, rail traffic was in the area. It helped to plan where to go. Quite often, in downtown Redwater, as the section men brought the speeders out onto the track in the morning, you could do a little eavesdropping.

Photographer:
L. Parks [298] (more) (contact)
Date: 06/21/1985 (search)
Railway: Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks: CN Speeder (search)
Train Symbol: Nil (search)
Subdivision/SNS: Coronado Sub. (search)
City/Town: Redwater (search)
Province: Alberta (search)
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Photo ID: 40560

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7 Comments
  1. Larry, that’s a Fairmont MT-14 4-man section track motor car. It was powered by an Onan model CCKB gasoline engine coupled to a 2-speed transmission. Both hi and lo speeds were available in either forward or reverse direction. No room inside so the level board gets strapped to the roof. :-)
    Any chance you can read the CN running number xxx-xx stenciled on the front of the cab under the white decal or above the bracket between the windshields?

  2. Thanks for the added info Paul, :-) , using my good magnifier, as well as a little microscope does not help to read the numbers. The only part that is legible, which you can almost discern in the photo, are the CN letters on the number above the window. The rest is blur. I was able to use your previous posted info on the folding door as to this car having a front and back seat. I’m getting to be an expert. Heh heh. :-)

  3. Thanks for checking on the legibility of the CN running number Larry. As a clarification on the seating in motor cars, 4-man section cars did not have individual cushioned seats like the 2-man inspection cars. The operator and riders in section cars sat on the wood or metal center console, usually with only a van cushion for some backside comfort. :-)

  4. Sorry Paul, my not wanting to get too wordy made some confusion. My meaning was, with the extra wide door there is room for 2 men to sit, 1 forward and 1 rear, on each side of the car. Although their butts are all sharing the central console. Yikes. :-D

  5. I have one of these Fairmont speeders- its a tight fit for two men-It must have been difficult with 4 men,tools,lunches,extra clothes,ect. No air conditioning,a bit of heat. I guess the section crews just managed best they could.

  6. There were two versions of the MT-series of Fairmont track motor cars. The MT-19 was a 2-man inspection car with two chair type cushion seats for the occupants. The MT-14 was a 4-man section car with seating on the center deck. The MT-14 door opening was extended as evidenced by the double hinge arrangement. What model is the motor car you have? Can you provide the serial number or a photo?

  7. Mine is an MT14 model CN 173-51. It has one piece doors(not hinged),no seats -just a flat plywood deck. Basically identical to the one in the photo but doors are different. And mine came with speed holes ( bullet wounds)

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