USRA Track Bumpers

[howmus]

I am modeling the USRA in upstate NY in HO. Do any of you have any information on the kinds of track bumpers that would have been used during that time period. I would be interested in the practices of the PPR, NYC and the NYOW RRs. Thanks in advance.

[tstage]

Ray,

When you say you are modeling the USRA, are you talking the time period ca. 1918-20? I asked a similar question recently but one pertaining to the track bumpers used on the NYC in the late 30's/early 40's. I'll be curious to see what you find out.

Tom

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tstage

Ray,

When you say you are modeling the USRA, are you talking the time period ca. 1918-20? I asked a similar question recently but one pertaining to the track bumpers used on the NYC in the late 30's/early 40's. I'll be curious to see what you find out.

Tom

Actually, Mid 1920's but basically still USRA or pre AAR. I have tried in vain to find photos of that time time period that show any track bumpers. I might have to ask my 91 year old train lovin Father-in-law about what he remembers about that time..... hmmm. Ain't too many left that were there!

[dehusman]

The USRA wasn't a railroad.

The Walthers track bumpers would be close. Or a pair of ties crossed in the ends of the track or a tie bolted on top of the rails or a pile of dirt on the tracks.

Dave H.

[orsonroy]

It all depends on where the siding is, what it's supposed to do, and what railroad you're modelling. For specific railroad practices, you'll have to do lots of research for this sort of arcane detail information. I strongly suggest joining your target road's historical society for help on these topics.

If you're more interested in a general-type answer, here goes:

The most common "bumper" is none at all. Most sidings led off to fields of nothing important, and were graded so that the cars wouldn't roll off the end of the tracks. Setting the car brakes and properly spotting it would be sufficient.

If a siding abutted someplace where it would be undesirable to see a car if it rolled off, (a road or building), then some sort of bumper would be required. On infrequently used sidings, a pile of ballast or two ties stuck into the ground would suffice. For more permanent bumpers, Hayes wheel stops were popular. For areas where it was imperative to STOP a car fully, a more permanent bumper (like the new Walthers ones) would be used. And finally, those icky-looking Atlas and toy train set bumpers would be used in railroad terminals.

All the above bumpers would be appropriate for a post WWI-era layout.

Oh, and one point: the ARA (not the AAR) was around BEFORE the USRA. Of course, railroad "standardization" didn't start to become popular until after the USRA practices took hold after 1919, and the first ARA standard cars were really USRA cars upgraded to all-steel construction. The ARA was originally the MCB, and became the AAR in 1934.

[IRONROOSTER]

The USRA was the nationalization of the railroads starting in December of 1917. The govenrment took operational control, but not ownership of the the railroads. In March 1920 the USRA disbanded and all railroads were operationally returned to their owners. Some smaller railroads had been returned earlier. The USRA established standardized designs for locomorives and freight cars and were used during their period of control. After March 1920 the railroads were free to use them or not. Many continued to use the USRA designs, especially for locomotives. The designs were also modified.

I am not aware of any other USRA designs for other railroads related items such as track bumpers. I would suggest you consult some of the books that have been published for specific railroads. Here's one for PRR http://www.modelrailroadingmag.com/html/TracksidePenn.htm
Enjoy
Paul

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

The USRA wasn't a railroad.

Dave H.

Yes, thanks, but I did already know that. I should have said USRA time period. That is why I said I was interested in the practices of the PRR, NYC, and the NYOW.

IRONROOSTER, you are absolutely right! I knew that too. As I should have said that time period between the end of the USRA period and the AAR (a.k.a. 1920's) I will check out the book in your reply. I guess I was looking for what would commonly be in use during the 1920's.

orsonroy, I did not know about the ARA and MCB. I did know that the AAR started (or got its name?) in 1934. My layout, the Seneca Lake, Ontario & Western is set around 1925 and therefore uses USRA steam power and practices. Since I am not modeling a prototype RR, there is some room for variety.

Thanks to all of you for your posts. You have been very helpful. I have been using ties buried in the ground on end as bumpers (most installed about 20 years ago). I guess from your posts that it would not be terribly out of place. I will also check out the Walther's new bumpers.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by howmus
[orsonroy, I did not know about the ARA and MCB. I did know that the AAR started (or got its name?) in 1934. My layout, the Seneca Lake, Ontario & Western is set around 1925 and therefore uses USRA steam power and practices. Since I am not modeling a prototype RR, there is some room for variety.

Glad to help Ray!

Keep in mind when you say "USRA practices" that the USRA really didn't do anything all that radical in their planning. The cars were almost all pre-designed and already rolling around, and the steam was mostly a matter of standardization of parts (which had already been successfully implemented by the Harriman empire). And while some of their designs caught on like wildfire (the USRA light mike, especially), most were duds (the heavy pacific, mallet, and 2-10-2 weren't widely accepted at all).

Their biggest successes actually came in the form of two of their boxcars. The USRA single sheathed car really was a radical departure from the run of the mill boxcar, which at the time was 36 feet long, double sheathed, and short. The single sheathed car flew in the face of all those conventions, and was copied more than most modelers realize. You'd see more cars of that basic design in the 1920s that the double sheathed cars. The other big success was a car that the USRA never actually built: the 40-foot steel boxcar. The NYC latched onto that design and built over 35.000 cars to that basic design, making it the second most common boxcar on US rails after the Pennsy's X29 (yet no one makes a plastic model of it! Grrr...).

If you're modelling a road up north, you might want to consider leaning on the influences of the CN, CP and D&H as well as the USRA. They did some radically different things than the USRA, which make for a more visually appealing layout. 36-foot cars (even a few steel ones!) were the norm up through the 1950s for those roads, and there was a lot of gondola traffic. Most of their cars can be kitbashed from old Roundhouse cars, or built from F&C and Westerfield resin kits (Sylvan too). Their engine designs were radically different from the USRA too, which might get your layout away from the "oh boy, yet ANOTHER USRA engine..." syndrome. Don't be afraid to look at the Bachmann SY Mikado or Chinese 2-10-2 as Americanizing kitbash bait.

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy
Their biggest successes actually came in the form of two of their boxcars. The USRA single sheathed car really was a radical departure from the run of the mill boxcar, which at the time was 36 feet long, double sheathed, and short. The single sheathed car flew in the face of all those conventions, and was copied more than most modelers realize. You'd see more cars of that basic design in the 1920s that the double sheathed cars. The other big success was a car that the USRA never actually built: the 40-foot steel boxcar. The NYC latched onto that design and built over 35.000 cars to that basic design, making it the second most common boxcar on US rails after the Pennsy's X29 (yet no one makes a plastic model of it! Grrr...).

Finding those wonderful 40' RTR is a lot of fun..... I always get out the magnifying glass and check them carefully. Most say "Rebuilt in 1943" or something like that. That said, I have about 50 coal cars and Single Sheathed 40' Boxcars that are period rolling stock. Always looking for more. Every time I go the LHS, I check out the stock he has in Accurail and some others. Would like to get some tank cars from the era.......

Thanks much!

[tstage]

Ray,

Proto 2000 might have a few in that era, but I'm not sure. The two tankers that I have are mid-to-late 30's, I believe. I sure wish Accurail would start making gondolas and tankers. The majority of my rolling stock is Accurail. And, even though the underframe brake detailing is a bit spartan, I think the above frame detailing is still pretty good. I love the look of the wooden and wood end box cars. Very rustic.

Tom