Charlie,
The NE12s were favorites because of their ride qualities and the offset
cupola which allowed much better observation of the train(at least when the w/c
was long end forward). They rode better than the latter NE 13s and the still
later BN purchased waycars. I believe this was directly related to weight, the
older cars weighed more and therefore rode better. The newer the w/c the
more she'd bounce around at speed.
Pool w/cs quickly became dumps as the average crew member didn't treat it
the same as his assigned w/c.
Every once in awhile we'd get a car off the waycar servicing trk at Cicero
that had undergone a deep cleaning. They were actually nice but then you'd get
that same waycar weeks later after thousands of miles and dozens of crews and
it was a dump again. For many years it was common to be able to see where
crews exchanged w/cs as some of us would open both doors and sweep them out as
we got under way. The litter on the trks marked the area of the crew change.
Many times an eastbound w/c at Savanna lacked drinking or washing water,tools
or parts for enroute repairs and we wont even mention the toilet.
I don't know this to be a fact but I believe the old wood w/cs lacked draft
gears or if they had them they were of an early and low rated type. I'll look
at a couple survivors around here soon and advise.
The NE 12s and 13s had draft gears,again probably not as high rated as
todays. By the time I started in train service the Q wood cars were delegated
to
yard jobs so we never got up to speed to verify ride quality. Though many of
the old timers told me they rode like baby buggies when the track was
maintained at Zephyr speed standards. We had old steel plated NP and GN w/cs
on the
locals around Northern Illinois and they rode well,again probably from weight.
We had an old GN on the Rochelle job for years and we'd get her up to trk
speed running to Flag Center or Steward Jct with a nice ride. Then one day she
was gone. Off to shop and back in pool service as there was a pressing
shortage of cabooses as business increased.
The Aurora BRT/ORC local gave into the pool agreement in exchange for cab
rides to and from hotels,the hotel room,a locker at the yard offices(as you
now
had to lug your stuff around). I can't imagine sleeping in those old hacks
in Savanna yard with heat,humidity,shad flies and the noise from the adjacent
rip trk and roundhouse. Not to mention the constant arrival,departure and
switching of w/cs. But the engine crews got to sleep in the bunkroom next to
the
rdhse so that wasn't heaven either.
I hope to share some of the stories from the files in a future article.
Leo Phillipp
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