I used a Stomper for the base of my light inspection car.
Now THAT I like.
Bruce,
Have you shown your speeder -
At York, or the Invasion?
I certainly remember seeing the build log and photos here, but I don’t know if I remember seeing it run. What do you remember?
Ric Golding said:
Bruce,
Have you shown your speeder -
At York, or the Invasion?
I certainly remember seeing the build log and photos here, but I don’t know if I remember seeing it run. What do you remember?
Hmm. I don’t remember much. But, if I do remember, I’ll bring it to York in the Spring.
Speeders sure are cool.
I like that one Bruce made just don’t stop fast. I think the passengers need a safety bar to hold onto.
Over the years RR’s have built all manner of speeders out of all kinds of stuff, anything to get a worker cheaply down the tracks.
A shame the motor blocks cost so much or we could all get busy and build our own speeders for the build challenge this year.
Ok question. Definition of speeder versus Motor car. I think you folks have lumped all of them together. Fairmont Motors out of Fairmont Minnesota manufactured a lot of the Motor cars that where made even up to the 80s when they installed ownan engines in them. Later RJD
R.J. DeBerg said:
Ok question. Definition of speeder versus Motor car. I think you folks have lumped all of them together. Fairmont Motors out of Fairmont Minnesota manufactured a lot of the Motor cars that where made even up to the 80s when they installed ownan engines in them. Later RJD
Good question. I’m not sure if you can separate them very easily.
I also build a motorcar based on the M-3 at EBT.
I know they do look different. 
Bruce,
Wow! Great picture! Where did you take that?
On “Speeders” versus “Motor Cars”, I would think “Speeders” were made specifically for on track travel of track maintenance crews and evolved from hand cars.
Where “Motor Cars” are converted vehicles or made from parts of vehicles, like the M-3 at the EBT.
I guess until the “High Railers” came in to being, for all different sizes of vehicles from pickup trucks to “Big Dawg” rail replacement trucks. The “speeders” were blue collar for track maintenance employees and the “Motor Cars” were white collar or management inspection.
Of course, then you throw the rail velocipede into the mix being hauled up Cheat Mountain on a flat car for the Doctor to ride back down to the camps. Go figure.
So saying all that, I guess I think Bruce’s track vehicle is an early “Inspection Motor Car” over a “speeder”. Just my thoughts, your results may vary.
Wrong Ric: Go back and do the research on Fairmont Motor cars they are in fact as you all like to call speeders. I think this name may have come up from another country. If you recall I did work for a RR and use to operate what is know as a motor car. Later RJD
What was known on your railroad as a motorcar, RJ. Local customs do not imply laws of nature.
None of the have a plow,HEP cabling or ditch lites? What’s up with that??
R. J. - I’m sure not challenging your knowledge and saw your posting after I wrote up my thoughts in this thread. I was just trying to apply logic from what I’ve read and seen. I certainly yield to your expertise and do not challenge it in any way.
While “motorcar” is the proper original term, “speeder” has become the popular term
Google “speeder” and NARCOA comes up on the first page.
Also the Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speeder
If I had a nickel for every time I heard a Fairmont referred to as a “speeder”, I’d have a lot of money.
If I had a nickel for every time I heard a Fairmont referred to as a “motorcar”, I’d have a nickel 
Ralph
Ralph and RJ,
What would you call a 1939 Packard with flanged wheels? How about a 1958 Chevy with the same and no ability for either one to drive on pavement or stear?
So I guess this is a motor car, because it is not hand or foot operated. That certainly makes sense.
So in the real world of railroad definitions, a speeder doesn’t exist?
Ric what you referred to would be called Hi rail vehicles . Ric I also was just trying clear up the term. Also known as just plain inspection vehicles. As mentioned by Ralph its a name that someone through out there and why it caught on I do not know. Most of these phrases come from what we call rail buffs. Later RJD
Ric Golding said:
Bruce,
Wow! Great picture! Where did you take that?
. . .
At Roger Cutter’s place - probably after the ECLSTS, as I recall seeing both of Bruce’s speeders/hi-rails/rail-motors, or whatever we decide to call them. Both pics come from 04/19/08
Here’s the speeder
And here’s Bruce with the railcar:
I also found another, “Rics speeder” from a prior meet at RGS East (03/29/08. Was that yours? on your way to ECLSTS?)
My guess is one was after ECLSTS and the other was a normal spring run.
Finally, you jogged my memory on another Aristo-based railcar, rather like Bruce’s M-3. Geoff Ringle did a version of M-3 using the brass railcar. I don’t have a photo, but it is on the end of this short clip from 04/11/10. (Turn up the volume - the railcar makes noises too!)
While poking around, I found that Caboose Hobbies have a couple of the Aristo brass railcars in stock. They seem to date from 2003+.
I found a lot more photos of speeders and rail cars at Family Garden Trains’ rail car page:
http://familygardentrains.com/primer/prototype/little_river/little_river_railcars.htm
including this Studebaker bus:
(http://www.littleriverrailroad.org/images/PhotoAlbum/Railcars/0301StudebakerBus.jpg)
And an Aristo Rail Bus which doesn’t seem very common:
Pete Thornton said:
(http://www.littleriverrailroad.org/images/PhotoAlbum/Railcars/0301StudebakerBus.jpg)
Wonder if Doc Tom knows about this!
David Russell said:
Pete Thornton said:
(http://www.littleriverrailroad.org/images/PhotoAlbum/Railcars/0301StudebakerBus.jpg)
Wonder if Doc Tom knows about this!
I don’t know.
But I gave him a Bachmann Rail Truck that he can use for a bash
Ralph
Hey Pete,
Yes that is my rail vehicle. I just call it a “Buggy”. That was taken at Roger’s on rush Sunday after York, between Ken’s and Bruce’s. Wow! that was cramming a lot in a day.
I’ve got that set of 3 small brass rail vehicles that were brought out by Aristo Craft. All scheduled for modification as time and money allow.
Great video! Brings back good memories.