I have always wondered

[1004]

On the front of all steam locomotives, above the front coupler there is two spherical indents on each side, what are they use for? 

[e-mail]

[ndbprr]

Freight cars had them too
They are called poling pockets.
It was a not to common practice (maybe more in yards) to put a pole in the indentations when a car was on a parallel track so the engine could move the car. It was a dangerous practice and I think it was outlawed.

[selector]

I agree, these were pole pockets into which the ends to a stout pole were placed so that engines could move cars when they were near to each other, but not on the same track.  Most roads prohibited this eventually, probably before the 50's, because the poles could shatter or their ends dislodge and penetrate other objects..including soft targets such as brakemen or yard men. You still see it being done here and there for the sake of unique expediency, but it is generally the policy on all railroads that it is not to be carried out.  I am aware of no legal proscription, such as a federal law, only that most roads took it upon themselves to ban the practice.

[ndbprr]

As a follow up some railroads had poling cars. Basicaly a flat car with 4 poles hinged at the middle of the sides so it could pole in any direction. There was usually a small cabin like a transfer caboose for the worker. There have been models and articles over the years.

[BRAKIE]

Poling was very dangerious and could be fatal..If the pole split the force would usually drove it into the brakeman that was holding the pole.This usually happen as the engine ease into the pole. Once the pole was in place the brakeman would stand clear.

[dknelson]

There was a good discussion of poling in this thread on the Classic Trains part of the Forums

http://cs.trains.com/ctr/f/3/t/183906.aspx

 

Dave Nelson

[tstage]

Couldn't make link clickable...

[jjdamnit]

Hello All,

I believe that's where the expression, "I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole" came from.

Hope this helps.

[gmpullman]

tstage

Couldn't make link clickable...

 

http://cs.trains.com/ctr/f/3/t/183906.aspx

 

 

Maybe I'll have better luck???

Then again... maybe NOT

C'est la vie, Ed

[7j43k]

jjdamnit

Hello All,

I believe that's where the expression, "I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole" came from.

Hope this helps.

 

Yes, that's quite correct.  Although the details are quite fascinating.

Turns out there was a company that made these, called the Ten Foot Pole Company.  Other lengths had been tried, but the company did extensive research and found this optimum length.  But, of course, ten feet of oak is a pretty heavy item to maneuver.  They got into a bunch of trouble when they reacted to brakemen's complaints about the weight by going to balsa wood for the poles.  At first, railroad employees lauded these--they only weighed 20 pounds.    Unfortunately, they were deficient in compressive strength.  Several employees were killed using the lightweight poles.  The company quickly was driven out of business due to the lawsuits.

 

And so there arose the phrase.  Although it should properly be "I wouldn't touch it with a Ten Foot pole".

 

 

Ed

["JaBear"]

jjdamnit

I believe that's where the expression, "I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole" came from.

Hmmmm, now I‘m wondering; the saying in this part of the woods is “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot barge pole”.

Ahhhh, the vagaries of colloquial language.

While not the footage I was looking for....

 

.....looks as safe as houses.

 

Cheers, the Bear.

[Great Western]

Hmmmm, now I‘m wondering; the saying in this part of the woods is “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot barge pole”.

Ahhhh, the vagaries of colloquial language.

 

This is also how it is said in the UK, probably it translates to former colonies. 

[Lake]

Great Western

Great Western wrote the following post 3 days ago: Hmmmm, now I‘m wondering; the saying in this part of the woods is “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot barge pole”. Ahhhh, the vagaries of colloquial language.   This is also how it is said in the UK, probably it translates to former colonies. 

This version comes from the days of using canals and barges. The barges were pushed along at times by men with long poles. That is, were it seems, 10 ft long barge pole came from.

Then it just transfered over to the rail pole used by railroads.