Maintenance-of-way (MOW) cars and equipment are vital to the operation of a railroad. The types of equipment needed often depend on where a railroad operates. This equipment is used to repair and replace ties, rails, signals and monitor the condition overall conditions of the right of way. The equipment can range from large cranes to small self-propelled 1 or 2 man transports.
The Heart of Dixie Museum collection also includes rare electric switcher engines (from as early as 1903) and a quartet of cars that started life as rolling kitchens on U.S. Army troop trains. Later they were converted to act as rolling guard houses to accompany classified rail shipments.