More details to add, mail crane's and derail's. First off were derails used in the late 1930's and where wood they be placed, have a small oil loading and tank farm area, would you put one in front of the area so no one can run a car into the tankers? Mail cranes I asume would be on the mainline only, on a single line mainline, would it mater what side it is on? On a side note whistle stops are on hold till correct W's are delivered, didn't have any in stock like I thought.
As far as I know, the derails were placed mostly on industrial tracks, and they were intended to de-rail (and stop) an otherwise parked piece of rolling stock that somehow rolled from where it was spotted. The derail prevented it from rolling onto the mainline, preventing a collision. A moving train, whether a block of cars being pushed (or pulled) by a locomotive, would likely cause a lot of havoc it ran into a derail at speed.
Wayne
I don't know for sure if cast derails were in use in the thirties, but as Dr Wayne stated, the purpose of the derail was to prevent cars from fouling the main track. They could also be used to protect spotted cars from being impacted by errant switching moves, as in the case of your tank cars loading/unloading at your tank farm. My guess is they would be of the single switch point type, sort of like a turnout to nowhere. The derailing area would be away from the mainline, any buildings, or places a derailing car would cause even bigger problems. Derails could also be found on tracks approaching movable bridges. It's better to put an engine and a few cars on the ground, than into a navigation channel!
Mail cranes would be placed on the right side of the track, in the direction of travel. In other words, if the train was headed west, the crane would be on the north side of the track. If there were double main tracks and trains picked up in both directions, there would be cranes in the direction of travel for both tracks. If it was a single track, with pickups in both directions there could be cranes on both sides of the track. I don't know postal regulations governing picking up mail on the fly. Mail being delivered would simply be tossed from the moving train which slowed to about 20 or so miles per hour.
How about train order stands? Up until the widespread use of radios, it was also common to find train order stands at some stations and, most interlocking towers. Of course the operators also used hoops or in some cases a Y shaped fork to pass orders to moving trains, but the stand was safer for the operator as it kept him or her away from the moving train.
If you are in a snow belt, there are signs warning a flanger operator to raise his blade. Obstructions such as bridge guardrails, highway grade crossings, turnouts and crossing tracks will destroy a flanger operator's day, if that blade hits something traveling 20 MPH or more. There are also speed limit signs, especially before a change of speed is required or, permitted. Back in the days when telegraph lines paralleled most rail lines, some railroads used the poles as mile posts by painting the distance on them. On busy lines, they also mounted telephone boxes on the poles at certain distances or, where communication with the dispatcher might be necessary, such as junctions where there was no tower.
Sketches help?
Track_Detail_Mail-Crane_B-O by Edmund, on Flickr
Track_Detail_Mail-Crane-wood by Edmund, on Flickr
Track_Detail_Mail-Crane by Edmund, on Flickr
Track_Detail_Derail by Edmund, on Flickr
Track_Detail_B-O-signs by Edmund, on Flickr
Telltale_B-O by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
I just love those PRR drawings. Somewhere in there is a drawing for an 80 lb. Sledge hammer, track cutting chisels, and everything the railroad used. Even the PRR standard broom.
Pete.
wrench567 I just love those PRR drawings. Somewhere in there is a drawing for an 80 lb. Sledge hammer, track cutting chisels, and everything the railroad used. Even the PRR standard broom.
RAILROAD SWITCHING BROOM PRR. Pennsylvania Railroad Early !!! Old & Original 54" | #1860258126 (worthpoint.com)
Rich
Alton Junction
rrebellFirst off were derails used in the late 1930's and where wood they be placed, have a small oil loading and tank farm area, would you put one in front of the area so no one can run a car into the tankers?
Yes derails would be used and they are placed in tracks where cars are stored or spotted.
But they don't work like you have described. The derails will derail cars coming OUT of the track to the main track. They aren't protecting the loading dock, they are protecting the main track, preventing a car from rolling out. They are not usually used on "active" tracks, main tracks, sidings, switching leads, and industrial leads or branches. The exception is split point derails controlled by a tower or interlocking will be used on the main track ahead of drawbridges and turnspans and leading into some major junctions.
Mail cranes I asume would be on the mainline only, on a single line mainline, would it mater what side it is on?
Yes they would be on the main and would be on the side next to the station so they can be accessed by the agent or postal employee.
They would not be at every station, only those where the mail was picked up and dropped off which would be near places with larger post offices that had manned stations.
On a side note whistle stops are on hold till correct W's are delivered, didn't have any in stock like I thought.
I think you are misunderstanding these signals. Most "W" signs are "whistle posts" that tell the engineer when to start whistling for a grade crossing. They do not signal a stop. A "whistle stop" is a slang term for a small station, whose real term is a "flag stop". Flag stops have some sort of semaphore or light signal to tell the train to stop and pick up passengers.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
NHTXMail cranes would be placed on the right side of the track, in the direction of travel. In other words, if the train was headed west, the crane would be on the north side of the track. If there were double main tracks and trains picked up in both directions, there would be cranes in the direction of travel for both tracks. If it was a single track, with pickups in both directions there could be cranes on both sides of the track.
Maybe not. Mail cranes were bi-directional and the hooks on the cars would work on either side in either direction. I have seen lots of photos of single track locations with cranes on only one side.
Multiple main track would have one on either side so trains didn't have to crossover to pick up mail.
dehusman rrebell First off were derails used in the late 1930's and where wood they be placed, have a small oil loading and tank farm area, would you put one in front of the area so no one can run a car into the tankers? Yes derails would be used and they are placed in tracks where cars are stored or spotted. But they don't work like you have described. The derails will derail cars coming OUT of the track to the main track. They aren't protecting the loading dock, they are protecting the main track, preventing a car from rolling out. They are not usually used on "active" tracks, main tracks, sidings, switching leads, and industrial leads or branches. The exception is split point derails controlled by a tower or interlocking will be used on the main track ahead of drawbridges and turnspans and leading into some major junctions. Mail cranes I asume would be on the mainline only, on a single line mainline, would it mater what side it is on? Yes they would be on the main and would be on the side next to the station so they can be accessed by the agent or postal employee. They would not be at every station, only those where the mail was picked up and dropped off which would be near places with larger post offices that had manned stations. On a side note whistle stops are on hold till correct W's are delivered, didn't have any in stock like I thought. I think you are misunderstanding these signals. Most "W" signs are "whistle posts" that tell the engineer when to start whistling for a grade crossing. They do not signal a stop. A "whistle stop" is a slang term for a small station, whose real term is a "flag stop". Flag stops have some sort of semaphore or light signal to tell the train to stop and pick up passengers.
rrebell First off were derails used in the late 1930's and where wood they be placed, have a small oil loading and tank farm area, would you put one in front of the area so no one can run a car into the tankers?
Hey, thanks for the info. It is getting harder and harder to do search on the computer, too many ads and too many things seem to get by the limit commands, things like " " and - ect, don't always work these days.
Tichy's HO scale catalogue
Ok, as far as the mail cranes are concerned, I found out some more info, just happened to click on the right photo. The mail cars could pick up from either side and in either direction, the graber was totaly removable and could be moved if needed. Desided to go with the Tichy ones as they seem to be more to scale than the other in my possesion. I have built them and painted them black and now need to do the detail painting. Fiqured the base was cement so going with Pollyscale concrete and then do a wash of a stain I use. The bag is canvas so don't really know what I should use, thinking aged concrete with a wash. The pic and story I found are exactly like the Tichy. The painting suggestion is that the top of the post be painted white but the pic I found was all one color and definantly not white.