Working rail roads and their tracks.

[JethroB]

I wasn't going to tell this story, but here goes.

40 years ago I was working at a Fertilizer Company. They received all their bulk fertilizer on train cars. Had a siding about 400 ft long in front of the storage building. I was unloading gravity cars onto a conveyor belt into the building. Had unloads hundreds similarly. When empty I'd use the center pivot loader to push the cars away from the building. Everything on flat ground. Lean up against the cars and give them a hefty, but short push with the loader and they would coast down toward the south end of the siding and stop.

I pushed one a bit too hard. It busted thru the switch and went onto the main line. I caught up to it with the loader, bouncing over the ties, hooked the bucket under the hitch and tried to stop the car which was going at an average walking speed. Immediately stood the loader on it's nose and lost contact with the car. A couple attempts and I gave up. Slight down grade away from the Fertilizer Company and town.

I went to the main office and told the Manager what had happened. He immediately called the rail company to report the runaway car. He said put the loader on the trailer and go South to the next town, 6 miles away and ask if anyone has saw a car go thru....

So I load up and go to the next town. Nobody saw a car. I went North to the first crossroad and looked up/down the track as far as I could see, no car. Went to the next crossroads, same thing. Went to the next crossroads, looked North. There it sat about a 1/4 mile away.

I unloaded the loader, straddled one rail and started bouncing my way toward the car. I pushed that car 3 miles bouncing over the ties on that loader at a very slow walking pace. Back at the Fertilizer company we cobbled up the switch and got the car back on the siding.

I never pushed a car like that again.

As Moss said, shocking how easy they'll roll......

Great story. I bet the tires on that loader were a bit chewed up over time

I have seen cars moved in various ways. The simplest to me is when the siding has a very slight slope. The RR drops off the cars at the higher end and then workers just ease off the manual brakes and let the cars slowly roll downhill as their needed. Oops, let them roll to far and then out came the chains, cables, tractors, come-alongs, etc. The last resort was to confess to the boss & then call the RR and come tug them back uphill.

 

[ovrszd]

Great story. I bet the tires on that loader were a bit chewed up over time

I have seen cars moved in various ways. The simplest to me is when the siding has a very slight slope. The RR drops off the cars at the higher end and then workers just ease off the manual brakes and let the cars slowly roll downhill as their needed. Oops, let them roll to far and then out came the chains, cables, tractors, come-alongs, etc. The last resort was to confess to the boss & then call the RR and come tug them back uphill.

Yeah, that would suck!!! A siding should be flat level.

 

[LouNY]

Years ago up in Idaho sugar beet and potato country most of the plant facility's had their own sidings some times several,
it was nothing to see an old JD 2 cylinder or even a Farmall Cub moving several cars around loaded or empty.

 

[JethroB]

Yeah, that would suck!!! A siding should be flat level.

The few I was familiar with were intentionally built with a ever so slight slope on the company owned siding for moving purposes.
I got to drive/operate a company owned switch engine for a few minutes once. Remote controlled like a ditch witch with a heavy console hanging around my neck by a strap. Fun stuff.

 

[ultrarunner]

Speaking of moving train cars. I don't know the proper name for this tool. But it's designed to move train cars by hand. I have used one on several occasions years ago and they work very well. Hopefully the pictures will make sense.

The wedge end sits on the rail, up against the car wheel. Push down on the handle end and it lifts the steel wheel causing the car to start moving


View attachment 677211


View attachment 677212

Thanks for the lesson... I have one and use it but never knew the origin... it was something my grandfather had picked up.

 

[Cub 7274]

Speaking of moving train cars. I don't know the proper name for this tool. But it's designed to move train cars by hand. I have used one on several occasions years ago and they work very well. Hopefully the pictures will make sense.

The wedge end sits on the rail, up against the car wheel. Push down on the handle end and it lifts the steel wheel causing the car to start moving


View attachment 677211


View attachment 677212

Hope the handbrake works......

 

[5030]

I have one of those as well. We always used it when busting old concrete. never knew where it cam from now I do. Just what is it called?

 

[Hay Dude]

I have one of those as well. We always used it when busting old concrete. never knew where it cam from now I do. Just what is it called?

The version I have for busting up old concrete is called a " post spade " in my area. I think its my go to tool for so many situations, tamping dirt around fence posts, breaking concrete, digging out small stumps and rocks, etc.
Mine is different from the Johnson bar. Post spade has a 4" diameter steel tamper head on the other end.

 

[bcp]

Pinch point lining bar.

Pinch Point Lining Bar - 26 lb - Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc.


Other styles.

Industry-Railway Suppliers, Inc.

Bruce

 

[bcp]

Lining bars in use.

Bruce