From the 1880s a number of different style handcars were manufactured for various applications. Some handcars were designed for bridge construction and maintenance, others for use by railroad bosses. The standard handcar was the most common handcar in use within the United States and was intended to be used by track section crews that were typically responsible for maintaining 2-10 miles of railroad track. The three major handcar manufacturers all built standard handcars that were nearly identical in size and weight.
