There has been the idea of a tool car in the past, the more recent idea came from Mark and I. The car wasn’t suppose to be designed from a previous type car. We thought a simple flat car, one half boxed in for tools, the other half flat for materials. The materials being ballast, ties etc, making it easier to load and unload the same. The tool portion would be the typical track tools needed to equip a 5 to 7 person track crew so they could simply couple up and leave Sheepscot station in a some what time saving fashion. There would still be the choice specialty tools or materials that would/will be loaded day of departure. The focus was on “Track Maintenance” and not necessarily the larger work weekends, but it would work great for the designated work Saturdays that we have been doing lately, specially if the crew chiefs had special needs and could let us know so we could load it in advance.
Everybody has great ideas for this car from tools to work benches, shelving even battery lighting, fold up bench seating. The idea of marked tools just for the tool car is a great idea except, at the end of the day, volunteers more often than not leave their tools where they lay not where they came from. This car has a variety of potentials but maybe we should start small and basic then work our way up. The box car rebuild and to use it as a tool car is a great idea, Marcel is doing a terrific job and when completed will be much appreciated.
