One of the all important hand tools of the section gang, the spike driver, seen here with an assortment of rail hardware, spikes, tie plates, clips, and bolts.

Workin' on the Railroad
The Section Gang's Perspective

If you have any stories or photos that you would like to post, please feel more than welcome to contact me.

Every railroad has to mantain the line 24/7 - this task falls to the Mantainence-of-Way crew also known as the "Gang."

We will always continue to add more stories as told by former employees of the Missouri Pacific, and any interesting information we come across.

The Job

First in order: a short description of the duties of the MoW Gang.

Foreman/Gang Boss - he's just what the name says

Section Gang - Section Crews or Section Gangs as they were commonly known, were responsible for a (large) section of track. They typically rode handcars (later motorcars) to look for and replace bad ties, tamp loose spikes, and tighten bolts.

Extra Gang - The crew of track laborers assigned to maintenance work at various points on a railroad right-of-way. These employees may live in camp (bunk) cars where they are provided lodging and meals at a nominal cost.

More terms:

B&B - Bridge and Building department

Boomer - Itenerent railroad workers, always moving from one location to another.

Dozer - Bulldozer operator.

Gandy Dancer - A track worker assigned to work on an extra-gang. The name came from the Gandy Manufacturing Company in the 1800's who made many of track tools.

Snipe - Track worker (section laborer).

Working on the Railroad

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MoW Slanguage

Ballast - Gravel, slag or other heavy material used as a road bed to support cross ties and rails.

Blue Goose - A high-rail car used by management to get out of the office and look important.

Gandy dancers - a.k.a. pumpcars

High-Rail - A vehicle, usually a pickup truck, with small rail wheels used to carry maintenance workers.

Jigger - speeder motorcar

Motor Car - a.k.a Speeder. A motor-driven railway inspection or work car which rides on the rails and is operated by maintenance of way employees to minimize time spent traveling while on duty.

MW - Maintenance of Way Department

Pusher - Team leader responsible for seeing that work gets done on schedule
OR a locomotive built to help trains up steep grades by pushing from behind.

Putt-putt - speeder motorcar

Road Bed - The foundation on which the rails and ties of a railroad are placed.

Speeder - small, low rail vehicle with gasoline engine used to transport work crews; sometimes known as a jigger, motorcar, or putt-putt

Sperry Car - Railroad car used by Sperry Rail Service to detect weakened or cracked rails.

Spreader - rail vehicle used to push gravel or snow away from the outsides of the rails

Weedburner - Flame thrower vehicle which rides on the tracks and is used to kill weeds along the track right-of way.

Work Train - A train engaged in company service for which no revenue is received.

Tools of the Trade

Hand tools:

Pry Bar - Long crowbar used to pull up old, damaged spikes from track.

Spike Driver - A sledge hammer, but designed with a longer, slimmer head to specifically seat spikes up against a section of rail.

Tie Tongs - Large tool, looking much like ice-tongs, used by workers to drag or carry individual cross ties.

Power tools:

Rail or Track Saw - large circular saw (replaced simpler hand-held saws) used to size individual sections of rail to fit into track.

Hardware:

Cross Tie - usually made of creosote treated lumber about 6'-8' long, but today concrete ties are becoming an increasingly popular alternative.

Rail Bolt - Used with rail plates to join sections of rail together.

Rail Clip - Placed under rail on either side of a cross tie to keep it from "wandering" over time.

Spike - Large nail driven through tie plate into cross tie used to hold rail sections in place.

Tie Plate - Placed between rail and cross tie, helps to keep spikes from becoming loose and crosstie from splitting.

Rail Section- Heavy section of iron that provides the actual "wheel to iron" surface of the railroad track.

Rail Bar - joiner bar inserted where rail sections join together, and bolted through both sections of rail.

Welded Rail - Long continous section of rail which requires no bolting together. Welds are used where the long sections meet.