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I never thought about it much, but this thread raises the question of why they converted from top-lift coupler pins to bottom-lift pins.  I don’t know the exact history, but the bottom-lift pins came into use maybe in the 1930-1940s or thereabout.  Before that, the top-lift pins were apparently the standard coupler design, going all the way back to the original Janney patent.   <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I recall that in the late 1960s, there were still top-lift pin couplers on cars in interchange, but they were relatively rare by then.  I would say less than 10% were top-lift pin couplers.  There were some tank cars running around that were built in the 1910-1920 decade that had the top-lift pin couplers.  Also, the Milwaukee’s outside braced wooden boxcars from the 1920s were still in service, and they had top-lift pins.  Top-lift pins were notorious for not staying up when they were pulled.  Maybe that was not the case when they were new, however.  <o:p></o:p> Here are some photos of older cars with top-lift pins.   <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1671039">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1671039</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1311735">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1311735</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dssa18052a.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dssa18052a.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/soo29667b.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/soo29667b.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> Note the FOX trucks on this car: <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/mstl4570c.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/mstl4570c.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dir8022b.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dir8022b.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/cnw123576d.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/cnw123576d.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/cnw96791a.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/cnw96791a.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dssa996a.jpg">http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/woodfrt/dssa996a.jpg</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1642698">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1642698</A> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Ore cars may have retained the top-lift pins after the changeover due to the limited clearance to the outer wheels.  Here are some ore cars: <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1168727">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1168727</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=537464">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=537464</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1268536">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1268536</A> <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1718248">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1718248</A> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>
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