Micro-Trains - 993 01 070 - Maintenance of Way Equipment, North American, Transition Era - Maintenance of Way

Specific Item Information: Includes Life-Like SW9 (985 00 207).

Model Information: Micro-trains Table Top sets are boxed sets that contain working locomotives. Sets that contain only rolling stock (and dummy units) are considered normal "Runner Packs" for this classification purpose.

Table Top Sets may or may not contain track and/or a transformer.

Prototype History: The definition of "Maintenance of Way" is the upkeep and repair of a railroad's fixed property (as track and bridges). Railroads have always used specialized and modified rolling stock and motive power for this purpose. Types of equipment run the gamut from snow plows to ballast spreaders to cranes to dedicated passenger cars.

Some equipment is purpose built such as modern ballast spreaders, while other equipment can be modified from revenue generating equipment such as gondolas, boxcars and passenger cars. Usually the equipment is painted in distinctive patterns to clearly indicate that these cars and locomotives are not being used for revenue-generating service.

Road Name History: Maintenance of Way is a generic term that encompasses all activities and equipment related to maintaining railroad tracks in good condition.
Equipment is highly specialized and diversified. A non exhaustive list below:

• Ballast cleaner
• Ballast regulator
• Clearance car
• Crane
• Dynamometer car
• Grinder
• Road–rail vehicle (Hi-Rail)
• Rotary snowplow
• Scale test car
• Stoneblower
• Tamping machine
• Track geometry car

Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.

Manufacturer Information: Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide