Hello all,
While building a small layout and items to go on layout. I discovered a need for two shoving platforms.
Shredder steel scrap is loaded via purpose built scrap bucket heavy flat. On this car is no where safe to ride. So a shoving platform is the way to go.
From inbound scrap yard to EAF all from the comfort of a platform car. Used an old Tichy wheel car as base for model. Cut the car in half,added middle of car stairs to both sides. Added weight,painted and ready for service.
The second car was a die cast Santa Fe caboose ( still work in progress ) .
Do you have a shoving platform on your layout ? Please share photos and story behind it's build.
Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb
Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.
Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.
dragonriversteelDo you have a shoving platform on your layout ?
My 94/95 era Summerset Ry and Slate Creek Rail "shoving platform" is a ex-Southern bay window caboose that still carries its road name. We call it a caboose. In reality its a Athearn Southern side bay caboose.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE dragonriversteel Do you have a shoving platform on your layout ? My 94/95 era Summerset Ry and Slate Creek Rail "shoving platform" is a ex-Southern bay window caboose that still carries its road name. We call it a caboose. In reality its a Athearn Southern side bay caboose.
dragonriversteel Do you have a shoving platform on your layout ?
Yup, familiar with Southern Railway. Our local Southern Railway caboose had a whistle while backing. Made an interesting sound. That of course was over thirty years ago. Miss those tuxedo's long hood forward.
I was referring to a purpose built shoving platform. Interesting platforms out there and wondered if anyone had built one in HO.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane Brakie.
dragonriversteelI was referring to a purpose built shoving platform. Interesting platforms out there and wondered if anyone had built one in HO.
I could use a shoving platform, when switching a plastics plant. It would save the brakeman from hanging on the ladder, on the first hopper, for the slow crawl up a spur.
Do you have a picture of yours? I did a "copy/paste" of the link in your signature, but no pictures.
Mike.
My You Tube
Ok..Here's what I would do for a shoving platform.I would buy a Athearn side bay and blank out all the windows by using Evergreen thin strips. I would just blank out the road name by using Microscale Trim Film decal.
For some inspiration, here's a pic of our local shoving platform.
I've got more pics and could probably get any angle needed. It moves around the small yard here in Urbana, but I've never seen it actually in use. Probably someone in management thought it was needed here or not needed where it was before. It's been hanging around for roughly a year now.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Main reason for a shoving platform, is to avoid payment of a two arbitrary for a "cabooseless shove in excess of one mile". If the platform is available, and the crew chooses not to use it, they don't get paid the arbitrary.
Other nice feature, is that the shoving platform does not require heating or lighting nor washing or toilet facilities, and does not have to be equipped with a tea kettle, like a pool cabin once did.
The one pictured in Mike's post, is quite elegant, compared to some I have observed.
wojosa31Main reason for a shoving platform, is to avoid payment of a two arbitrary for a "cabooseless shove in excess of one mile". If the platform is available, and the crew chooses not to use it, they don't get paid the arbitrary.
Interesting, that may be the reason. I'm not sure, but there may be a shove that exceeds the one mile limit. There's runaround facilities here in Urbana, which is the end of the line going east. The line used to go all the way to Bloomington, IL and beyond as the NYC's P&E, but sections in between have since gone out of service.
I think the NS comes up the CN/exIC main from the south and reaches the Urbana stub via a wye in Champaign. However, circumstances may sometimes result in a shove move across town, which certainly exceeds a mile.
This shoving platform seem to haqve been made from a 50' car of some kind, based on the skeletal frame that remains. There's a larger area at one end with shade and the twin outward-facing seats. A gridwork walkway goes down the center to the much smaller platform by the steps at the opposite end.
wojosa31to avoid payment of a two arbitrary
And what, exactly, is a "two arbitrary"?
CSX uses this as a shoving platform in Marion(Oh) and its fully functional. CSX uses two cabooses in Fostoria for long shoves.
So, is no one going to tell me what a "two arbitrary" is, or is it supposed to be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer?
maxman wojosa31 to avoid payment of a two arbitrary And what, exactly, is a "two arbitrary"?
wojosa31 to avoid payment of a two arbitrary
An arbitrary payment refers to a payment required by a work rule in addition to the regular wages. Some arbitrary payments (and you have to look at individual railroad/union contracts to see what applied where and when) might be trainmen connecting air hoses, when making a setout or pickup holding onto cars (other than the specific cars being setout/picked up), initial and final terminal delay. I forget some others, but employees hired after 1985 weren't normally eligible for arbitrary payments.
Those hired after 1985 are entitled to penalty payments, that is violations of contractual work rules. Not having a shoving platform available and having to ride the side of a car excessive distances is more of a penalty, not an arbitrary. Has indicated, if a shoving platform is available but the crew decides not to use it, no penalty payment can be claimed.
Jeff
Sounds like the union building trades, which I am still a member, even in retirement, but we had work rules, working in another local's jurisdiction, along with working dues, for being in another area. We did have reciprocity agreements so health insurance and pension would "follow the man".
mlehman For some inspiration, here's a pic of our local shoving platform. I've got more pics and could probably get any angle needed. It moves around the small yard here in Urbana, but I've never seen it actually in use. Probably someone in management thought it was needed here or not needed where it was before. It's been hanging around for roughly a year now.
That's interesting. I have recently seen NS use an old caboose as a shoving platform to reach the Alcoa plant in Lafayette. I have seen the local backing toward the plant on a Friday night; and at other times, I have seen it tied up at the main yard. I have seen flats with Catapillar diesel engines on them in the consist at the main yard, so I am assuming that the Catapillar spur sees the shoving platform used as well.
One of the primary regrets I have now that son has left WL is that there was never time to railfan. For that matter, I was never there when the Purdue model RR club was open; I always wanted to see that.