I have installed a Walthers float bridge on my new layout (modeling fictional terminal railroad in the NJ-NYC area) and was wondering if the prototypes operated these floats at less than capacity. I would like to load less than capacity for operation reasons, perhaps between five and eight cars. Thanks for any insights.
TRNJ (for Terminal Railroad of New Jersey or "Jersey Terminal," a subsidiary of CNJ and B&O)
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
The three track car floats and two track (with a platform between) platform lighters were about 250 feet long. I seem to recall that platform lighters frequently ran with less than capacity loads. Due to balance requirements a float might have the middle and starboard tracks full (5 cars each) and a single gon on the portside track - one car of lead ingots balancing five carloads of ping-pong balls.
The watercraft themselves had load limits, so a small number of heavy cars (canned goods, paper products) might max the float's capacity long before filling up the tracks. In that case, the float would have to be balanced fore and aft as well as athwartships.
Chuck (Native Noo Yawka, ex merchant marine cadet modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
accidental double entry