Work train

A Washington Metro work car in Virginia providing support for a track maintenance operation

A work train or departmental train (engineering train in the UK) is one or more rail cars intended for internal non-revenue use by the railroad's operator. Work trains serve functions such as track maintenance, maintenance of way, revenue collection, system cleanup and waste removal, heavy duty hauling, and crew member transport.

Ballast tamping machine as used in railroad track maintenance in Florida

A New York City Subway work train

A work train at the construction of a freight line in Sydney, Australia

Types of work trains

• Locomotives and cab units
• Track maintenance equipment (track geometry cars, ballast regulators, ballast tamper cars, ballast cleaners, stoneblowers, rail grinders, Sperry rail cars, ballast loaders/removers, hopper cars, continuous welded rail handlers, weld cars, track renewal train)
• Flood cleanup cars (reach cars, pump cars, hose cars)
• Snow removal cars
• Rail inspection cars
• Refuse motor cars
• De-icer cars
• Rail adhesion cars
• Crane cars
• Dump cars
• Flatbed cars
• Signal supply cars
• Tanker cars
• Vacuum cars
• Revenue collection cars
• Rider cars

See also

• List of railway vehicles
• Rail inspection