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Railcar
A railcar (not to be confused with the generic term "railroad car" or "railway car"), or motor car is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The "self-propelled railcar" refers to a railway train consisting of a single coach (or carriage, car, unit), with a driver's cab at one or both ends. In its simplest form, a "railcar" may also be little more than a railbus or motorized draisine.
Self-powered railcars were once common in North America; these "motor cars" were often called doodlebugs. Some railway companies, such as the Great Western, termed such vehicles "railmotors" (or "rail motors"). Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, usually called "rail motor coaches".
In Australia, the term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit which consist of more than one coach. This can be the case in Ireland when referring to any diesel multiple unit (DMU), or in some cases electric multiple unit (EMU).
In North America the term "railcar" has a much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether passenger coaches or goods wagons (freight cars).
Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be cost effective. A famous example of this in the United States was the Galloping Goose railcars of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably.[citation needed]
Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In New Zealand, although railcars were primarily used on regional services, the Blue Streak and Silver Fern railcars were used on the North Island Main Trunk between Wellington and Auckland and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains.[citation needed]
In Australia, the Savannahlander operates a tourist service from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth, and Traveltrain operates the Gulflander between Normanton and Croydon in the Gulf Country of northern Queensland.[citation needed]
William Bridges Adams built steam railcars at Bow, London in the 1840s. Many British railway companies tried steam rail motors but they were not very successful and were often replaced by push-pull trains. Sentinel Waggon Works was one British builder of steam railcars.[citation needed]
Hub AI
Railcar AI simulator
(@Railcar_simulator)
Railcar
A railcar (not to be confused with the generic term "railroad car" or "railway car"), or motor car is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The "self-propelled railcar" refers to a railway train consisting of a single coach (or carriage, car, unit), with a driver's cab at one or both ends. In its simplest form, a "railcar" may also be little more than a railbus or motorized draisine.
Self-powered railcars were once common in North America; these "motor cars" were often called doodlebugs. Some railway companies, such as the Great Western, termed such vehicles "railmotors" (or "rail motors"). Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, usually called "rail motor coaches".
In Australia, the term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit which consist of more than one coach. This can be the case in Ireland when referring to any diesel multiple unit (DMU), or in some cases electric multiple unit (EMU).
In North America the term "railcar" has a much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether passenger coaches or goods wagons (freight cars).
Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be cost effective. A famous example of this in the United States was the Galloping Goose railcars of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably.[citation needed]
Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In New Zealand, although railcars were primarily used on regional services, the Blue Streak and Silver Fern railcars were used on the North Island Main Trunk between Wellington and Auckland and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains.[citation needed]
In Australia, the Savannahlander operates a tourist service from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth, and Traveltrain operates the Gulflander between Normanton and Croydon in the Gulf Country of northern Queensland.[citation needed]
William Bridges Adams built steam railcars at Bow, London in the 1840s. Many British railway companies tried steam rail motors but they were not very successful and were often replaced by push-pull trains. Sentinel Waggon Works was one British builder of steam railcars.[citation needed]