ca. 1916-1930s
Northern Alberta Historical & Railway Museum
Before the advent of motorized cars (speeders), handcars, such as this, were used by railway personnel to inspect and maintain the track. By pushing the handles to go up and down, the motion caused the handcar to move along the track. These vehicles are also known as Jigger, Pump Car, and Pump Trolley. The compact size and relatively light weight made it easy to lift the unit off the tracks so that trains could pass.