Service Cars

[Dan Conlin]

I notice some pages describe certain cars as "service cars" as opposed to crew cars or tool cars etc.
The CPR used "Service" as a way to label Maintenance of Way or non-revenue cars work cars (taken from "On Company Service"). All kinds of MOW cars: cranes, boom cars, crew cars, tool cars etc were lettered Service.

Dan Conlin

[stem]

Agreed! The whole MOW section needs a lot of attention and I have just started to edit and reorganize it.

Take for instance the one I just corrected this morning:
http://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=DAR409894

As you said, many cars are listed as just service cars and the only thing that can be done is to sift through the MP14s and find out what they are listed as and correct the descriptions on the pages. I will not however change the descriptions on the image pages as that is what the description was by the photographer or previous collector. I will however, change the thumbnail captions to be accurate as appropriate.

It's just a lot of work. To help with the references, I have started adding a =Reference Tag= section to pages that will be referred to such as the MP14 pages. This is the reference tag we should use for continuity when referring to the article. If you notice some changes in tags that were already there it's because I'm following the Wikipedia standard of:
Author, Article, Publisher

You can then add a particular page number to the end as appropriate. I am however, not adding the publisher to references to DAR Wiki internal pages that can be followed to see who the publisher was.
Author, Article, Publisher, p. #

Comments?

[engineeral]

Good idea to use the term "service car" for all those non-revenue (typically maintenance of way) cars. Is a caboose or van a service car? 'Cause it's non-revenue. Maybe vans are their own classification? I think I have seen some railroad somewhere call a caboose a service car (it was a U.S. road).

I think I understand how to use the reference tag - I learn best when I have to use it so I'll see.

[stem]

Go to "Help" on the wiki and in the "Extensions" area, click on "Cite" for syntax and usage for references. Nevertheless, nothing like some good examples which is why I started putting the "Reference Tag" thing on pages for ease and consistency.

A good example of using one footnote for multiple references is on the "Lawrencetown Station". That was my first time last night doing that but it works beautifully. Have your "Cite" extension page up so you can see how I did it because it may not be obvious by just looking at the station page.

Use the service car category when you don't have time to identify what exactly the car is for. Then we can go back and see what needs to be researched.

I added one more M.P. 14 directly on the wiki on Thursday to make researching easier. I do how have every one of them downloaded from the CP Tracks site and on my HD for quick reference. You should sign up there and take a peek at the great library of engineering docs. Wow.

[Dan Conlin]

I will have to give a look to those ref tag short cuts. I enjoy sorting out MOW mysteries, all that neat antique rolling stock. I agree that we should keep info from photo inscription in the labels - good museum practice to cite it in quotes.

Dan

[downeastrailfan]

In addition, cabooses are in the MOW section. Perhaps they should be listed under "non-revenue."

[stem]

I've allways categorized the "Van" category under MOW, which is for both MOW and non-revenue equipment AND recently under freight too for convenience.

In the future, would like to create more galleries as well. Perhaps a Van gallery would be fun.