Doug,
Dont recall the details of the stories but there were at least a couple
incidents under the Q when the bumping posts in CUS got bumped. I also recall
one in BN days when a train backing in being run from the control car hit the
post.
All,
Would offer to the group that the waycar whistle probably also served
another purpose other than to let the rear end crew know when the brakes
had released because any trainman worth his salt,riding in a waycar knows when
the brakes have released w/o needing a whistle. It probably helped make it
clearer over the din of track noise but there are at least three other ways to
know when the air releases: 1) the gauge,2)brake shoe feel and noise,3) the
release noise itself from the brake valve.
I would offer that the brake whistle also might very well have served as an
"alarm clock" when needed from long periods of a train sitting in a siding,etc.
Even w/o a whistle in BN days there was an alarm clock in the w/cs using the
air.
Leo Phillipp