One of my friends recently commented that the wood roofwalks on my freight cars should not be painted, because painting was banned, or at least not done, to prevent slippery surfaces. I haven't found any old pictures that definitively show whether this is correct. What was the prototype practice, say in the 1950s?
Ken Ziebarth
Boulder, CO
Of course as soon as I submit a question I find an answer.
Check http://www.shorpy.com/node/893?size=_original.
KZ
I do love that photo.
Jeff Wilson's book, The Model Railroader's Guiide to Freight Cars, confirms that wood running boards (the preferable term to roofwalks) were generally painted the car color. The paint would wear off with use; that same wear and tear made the wood very slick. It is almost unthinkable that in pre airbrake days the brakemen would run on those running boards, in every kind of weather. I can remember seeing, from an overhead bridge, a scrap line of cars some of which had wood running boards, and the wood was clearly rotting even when the rest of the car looked in decent condition.
Dave Nelson
I have rode on the roof of boxcar enough to know they was painted -even the metal catwalks(yes,some called them catwalks) was painted to match the car's color.
These roof walks was also called running board by old line conductors,brakemen and car shop men and some car shop men even called them " the boardwalk".
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I recall seeing photos of new, but in-service, cars with unpainted running boards. I think that, at least at one time, this was up to the individual railroads. I also recall seeing unpainted steel running boards.
Wayne
I helped replace a lot of boards in them back over 50 years ago and we never painted any of the new wood.
Charlie
charlie9 I helped replace a lot of boards in them back over 50 years ago and we never painted any of the new wood. Charlie
That's about when they started to phase out the high ladders and running boards isn't it? I recall seeing 40' high cube boxcars used in appliance service started showing up around '65/66.
I have to step into the wayback machine for this one, Brakie. I went to work on the ICRR when I was still in high school, eventually finishing school at night. I spent one summer as a carman apprentice and that must have been around 1962-1963.
I went with the Big Four in 1967 and by that time, there were still a lot of cars with full length laddeers and running boards but the car dept did not inspect them or make repairs to them. The only time these appliances were an issue was when they were on a reefer and we had to get up on top and check the heaters. A somehwhat rare occcurance by then.
Thanks Charlie..I still recall the first time I seen those high cubed 40'boxcars-short and tall..
Right, suddenly the term car length as a unit of measure became meaningless. Most of the old heads still figured it meant 40 or 50 ft. when you used it on the radio.
doctorwayneI also recall seeing unpainted steel running boards.
Unpainted stainless steel running boards have been very common for many years. You can see them often on covered hoppers, and were sometimes also found on house cars built prior to the safety appliance regulations changing in 1966. Such cars are painted by the manufacturer before the running boards are installed. When a repaint occurs the running board is usually left in place and painted over. Paint doesn't always stick too well and can leave a ragged apperance when it flakes off or becomes worn (which was true for wood and plain steel too).
Rob Spangler
I believe they were called "running boards" because the boards "ran" the length of the car. I've never seen a brakeman running on them, normally just walking.
wjstix I believe they were called "running boards" because the boards "ran" the length of the car. I've never seen a brakeman running on them, normally just walking.
Interesting that those running boards were only about 18" wide. That is, three 6" boards. When we walk on a moving train, the smartest thing to do is to keep our feet spaced as widely as possble. We tell our passengers to walk like a duck. On an 18" roofwalk, you don't have enough space to take a really wide stance, so a person would have to be awfully careful if those high cars were swaying very much. I understand Santa Fe, and possibly others, put grit into the paint that they used on reefer roofs in order to prevent slipping. They may have done it on other types of car as well.
The secrete was in balance and bracing while standing on a moving car..Walking wasn't that difficult-just your normal stride.We wasn't above walking on the roof next to the running board either.
A great mystery is why there is a end ladder on the car since it was never used*.
You climb on the outside ladder then stepped around to the brake wheel..one foot on the end ladder,the other on the brake wheel platform with one hand holding the corner grab while the other hand was used to tighten or release the brakewheel.You climb back down by stepping around to the side ladder and then climb down.
Railroading as a brakeman was a art and there was many steps to learn as far as climbing,swing on or off a moving car or engine and even setting or releasing a hand brake..
* The reason the end ladder wasn't use is quite simple..If there was a sudden run in of slack and your lost your grip and fell guess where you will land? Not a pleasent thought is it?