Hi!
Cleaning up my train room, I came accross an old MDC 36' boxcar kit lettered to Canadian Pacific. I don't expect anything to be prototypical about this car, however, the lettering says:
"Service" "Block Car"
The only information I found out on the net was that block car were used on logging lines... In CPR and larger railroad, what does it means? What's the purpose for such car.
Thank you
Matt
Proudly modelling the Quebec Railway Light & Power Co since 1997.
http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com
http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com
On many railroads the "block car' is a car in the wrecker consist that carries wooden blocks used in rerailing plus rerailing frogs, jacks, tools etc. The manual stuff.
Blocks normally come in 3 types, all hardwood. 2x8x24, 4x8x24 and a wedge made from a 4x4 24" long.
Pretty much as long as the car is upright and the wheels are on the ties (or close to them), the car can be rerailed with blocks and frogs.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
SPECULATION:
From our friends at Wikipedia:
"A block is a set of pulleys or "sheaves" all mounted on a single axle. When rope or line is run through a block or a series of blocks the whole assembly is called a tackle."
So maybe the car would be used in MOW, bridge, or wreck service.
Ed
Block : a chunk of wood.
While a block car may have blocks and tackle in it, the blocks referered to on any block car or truck I've been associated with have been the chunky wooden type.
Thanks both of you... I searched further more the MoW equipment and found the following:
"As wrecking derricks became larger, so many tools and materials were required that a second tool car (sometimes called a “cable car” or “block car”) was added to the train. When small gasoline-powered generators came into use, one was often installed in a tool car, along with portable electric lights, to illuminate the wreck site at night."