bradslaney@w... wrote:
>
> RUSS,
>
> YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT. TWO REASONS I SAY 24s THOUGH:
>
> 1. WHEN I WORKED IN DISBURSEMENT ACCOUNTING AT 547 I'M SURE I
> PROCESSED INVOICES FOR "#24 MANGANESE FROGS" FROM UNITED STATES STEEL.
>
> 2. I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO AND RODE THE OLD ROCK
> ISLAND "DUMMYS". OSCAR LIMESTALL, ROCK ISLAND GENERAL MANAGER AND
> LATER VP OF OPERATIONS LIVED IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS SITTING
> NEXT TO HIM ONE EVENING ON THE WAY HOME AND WE HAD A CROSSOVER, 15MPH
> AROUND 47th ST AND I RECALL HIM SAYING "I WISH I HAD THOSE 24s THAT
> MURPHY HAS", REFERING TO THE BURLINGTON. THAT'S WHY I SAY 24s. I
> COULD BE WRONG THOUGH SINCE I MADE THAT STATEMENT BASED ON ANECDOTAL
> STATEMENTS AND ASSUMPTION.
>
> BRAD
>
Brad:
Last night I looked. Congress Park, Highlands, West Hinsdale,
Fairview, Downers, Lisle, Naperville are all #20's. As we knew
East Eola is #15's. When they rebuilt the plant at West Eola
they left the East set #15's but everything leading to the new
double track Hill Lead is #20. The new switch that makes
track #2 connect with track #3 is a #20. There are no #24's
between La Crosse and St Croix. Burns, Prescott, the new CTC
at Bay City, Mears, Trevino, Winona Jct., West end of Controlled
siding at East Winona, East switch at MP 323.65, and Sullivan
are all #20.
I had trouble even finding a #24. They are usually the ones
with the swing nose frog that needs a second switch machine.
The Ravenna Sub is single track through Grand Island. The
West end of single track at McDonald is a #24 but the East End
at Phillips is a #20. Go figure.
I do recall that the leads at North La Crosse were #9's with
#7 frogs. This forces you into a little curve that leads
into the frog on the turnout side but it saves about 10' on
each switch so it results in a shorter lead and longer yard
tracks.
For what it's worth the hand throw crossovers, Cochrane,
Alma, Etc. are #15. The main track switches like the ends
of the GBW interchange are #11.
I do recall going through the #20's at Highlands in a NW2
running cab forward at about 35 MPH. There was a lot of
doubt in my mind if the rear truck and cab were going to
end up still attached to each other.
This still does not really settle what these switches were
in the late 40's or early 50's but just changing the length
of one CTC crossover is a major job and the prospect of
doing a whole, triple track, territory is hard to accept.
Russ
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