In the past there was some discussion on track details/ballast
between Galesburg and LaVergne. Never saw this issue discussed.
Please take a look at the CB&Q Index Page shot of CB&Q 6315-5632.
Note the appearance of Main #3. This was on purpose.
Saltwater is hard on rail components. In Northern climates any
grade crossing renewal that is done right will include new rail
and plates. When you drive across an old plank crossing and hear
that "jangling" sound it's because, (in addition to the crossing
turning to mud underneath), the base of the rail and the shoulders
on the plates have rusted to the extent that they are not tight
anymore. This leads to wide gauge which makes the "bottoming out"
on the crossing even worse. Unless you can convince every Agency
doing plowing to not salt crossings there is no way around that.
Lot's of luck doing that!
On the other hand, there is something that you can prevent.
As a big carrier of Meat & PHP the drain spouts on all those
meat reefers were pouring out salt water all the time. The
CB&Q's solution was to tar both rails of selected tracks.
This was done with a locomotive hauled train that looked much
like a weed sprayer. Main #2 & #3 were done from Galesburg to
Bishop and Main #2 to Aurora. Main #3 from Aurora to LaVergne
and some years Main #2 from Aurora to the Crossover at Maple
Avenue at Congress Park. This was done in summer or fall.
The photo cited above, while of poor color quality, accurately
illustrates what the result of a fresh, heavy spraying looked
like. There is a shot in "CB&Q In Color, Volume #4" on page 62
of the same Fan Trip at MS Tower that also illustrates what
it looked like. For some reason the stuff did not show up well
in photos. On page 95 there are three photos taken at almost the
same spot and only the middle one clearly shows the treatment.
I think that after it was applied it would start to pick up
a coating of dust.
I do not know when this practice started or ended. I do not
know if it was done West of Galesburg. Need more input there.
Web updates posted today:
CB&Q, Chicago & Aurora 11, 06-Dec-42
CB&Q, Chicago & Aurora 46, 28-Oct-56
CB&Q, La Crosse 48, 06-Dec-42
CB&Q-WAB Joint 1, 07-Jul-40
CRI&P-FW&DC-B-RI Joint Texas 5, 02-Aug-42
Wichita Valley RR 63, 19-Nov-44
Russ
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