This discussion raises a question about whistles on the rear of passenger trains.
I'm sure most of you know that the passenger depot at Hannibal was not on the mainline. Northbound passenger trains would have to back in to the depot, and in doing so they backed across Center Street and Broadway. A high-pitched whistle was sounded at the crossings, operated by a member of the train crew on the rear passenger car. I always just assumed this was the communicating whistle between the train and engine, but I wonder if was a whistle similar to that discussed below, on waycars. Does anyone know?
Glen Haug
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
From: cbqrr47@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:09:10 +0000
Subject: [CBQ] Waycar Brake Whistles
The whistles on the brake exhausts on waycars were not standard equipment. Individual conductors had carmen to apply them to their waycars. In fact, the Mechanical Dept. did NOT sanction them, claiming they caused undue back pressure on the exhaust and made the waycar's brakes release slower. Conductors, being conductors, paid no attention to this and used them anyway. Remember, this was the day when a conductor's waycar was "his" waycar. I always thought it was neat to see the air gauge go to 90 and hear the whistle under the car. You knew the brakes had released. Who knows, it may have saved some flat wheels. As far as I can tell, they were unique Q features.
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