RE: [CBQ] RPO structural requirements

[HOL WAGNER <holpennywagner@msn.com>]

Existing cars were not immediately impacted by the strength requirements and many continued in service on wooden underframes/steel center sills with truss rods for a number of years.  Only the ends of wooden cars were required to be reinforced to prevent telescoping in accidents, and this was commonly done on the Q and C&S by placing four vertical sections of rail on each end of such cars.
 
As for Gene's 1910 postmarked view of the wooden water tank at Anselmo, bear in mind that while the postmark date is likely fairly close to the actual date of the photo, it is only a guarantee that the photo was taken prior to the date of the postmark.  I have several cards in which the postmark is fully 20 years after the known date of the photo.
 
Hol
 

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To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
From: gamlenz@ihug.co.nz
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2013 13:47:32 +1200
Subject: [CBQ] RPO structural requirements

 

Re. truss rods and RPO’s.  I’ve had a quick look on the internet but can’t find anything specific other than -

 

“In 1912, the Railway Mail Service developed a set of strength requirements for new cars in an effort to push the car building companies into using steel for the cars' major structural components and underframes. The core of the requirements was that each car should be able to withstand a buffer force of at least 400,000 pounds.” 

There is no mention of the strength requirements for existing cars, although I found a comment suggesting the restrictions didn’t apply to branch-line service.

Can anyone clarify the situation?

Rupert Gamlen
Auckland                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

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