Bytown Railway Society, Inc.
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Motor Cars

A Motor Car (also known as speeder, putt-putt, track-maintenance car) is a maintenance of way motorized vehicle formerly used on railroads around the world by track inspectors and work crews to move quickly to and from work sites.

Although it is slow compared to a train or car, it was often called a 'speeder' because it is faster than a human-powered vehicle. 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 15mph.

These vehicles have been replaced with trucks (usually pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles) using flanged wheels that can be lowered for on-rail (called road-rail vehicles or hi-rails for highway-railroad).

Motor Cars are now typically collected by hobbyists, who refurbish them for excursions organized by the North American Railcar Operators Association NARCOA in the U.S. and Canada.

The society's collection of Motor Cars include:

  • Fairmont
  • Sylvester
  • Ottawa Central Railway Woodings CBL TU-1800

Upcoming Events

Tue Aug 04 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
No Program Night this month. See you in September
Wed Aug 05 @12:30PM - 03:30PM
Summer Train Rides
Wed Aug 12 @12:30PM - 03:30PM
Summer Train Rides
Wed Aug 19 @12:30PM - 03:30PM
Summer Train Rides
Wed Aug 26 @12:30PM - 03:30PM
Summer Train Rides
Tue Sep 01 @ 7:30PM - 10:00PM
Heckman's Canadian Pacific: A presentation by Ralph Beaumont
Tue Oct 06 @ 7:30PM - 10:00PM
CN's Maynooth Branch: History and Operations by Steve Lucas
Tue Nov 03 @ 7:30PM - 10:00PM
To be announced
Tue Dec 01 @ 7:30PM - 09:30PM
Steve Boyko will be presenting "The New Brunswick East Coast Railway" via Zoom

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