What is this Amtrak MOW car?

My buddy snapped this pic of an unknown car in 3oth St Station in PHL?



I worked at the railroad for a little bit, but never did see anything like this... is it some sort of catenary wire equipment?

Thanks in advance,

Marty H
fmr CPR Conductor/Hostler

General Discussion: Locomotives, Rolling Stock, and Equipment Change Moderator's Note:

Amtrak experts, including Mr Vogel and amtrakhogger, will have a much better chance of answering this question.

Off to the Amtrak Forum it goes.

It is used to carry track sections already completed like switches.

I guess I am used to the CP/SOO practice of hauling those around in gondolas. The racks weren't as upright as in these cars.

Thanks for the info, though!

I think I found a new website to waste time on!

-Marty H

If you look closely, the vertical part has a hinge so the section (usually a complete turnout and frog from an interlocking) can be swung down into place from an adjacent track.

There is another part which looks a little bridge which is placed over the section being removed and from that part the blocks, tackles, come-alongs, hydrolics, etc are used to lift out the old section in one piece and then swing and lower the new section down into place. The old section gets loaded onto another car like the one in this picture, tilted up and taken off to get stripped.

It saves time in renewing interlockings. Obviously it is only practical when there are at least two or more tracks.

audimoose wrote:My buddy snapped this pic of an unknown car in 3oth St Station in PHL?



I worked at the railroad for a little bit, but never did see anything like this... is it some sort of catenary wire equipment?

Thanks in advance,

Marty H
fmr CPR Conductor/Hostler

It is called the SES unit (short for Switch Exchange System.) Its purpose is to carry pre assembled switches to the job site by rail. At the job site another piece of equipment (the SES crane) "walks" over the rail car and picks up the switch off the unit and then places it in position on the right of way. When in transit, the switch on the SES car is transported at a 45 degree angle to allow for clearance of other train movements.