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Talking about leakers In the early spring of '73 we got a Southern box car of corn interchanged from the IHB at Congress Park (They would shove up the hill into the then 4 track north yard. ) So it leaked a stream of corn up the hill and into the yard. We had 2 car inspectors there at the time to inspect all inbound interchange cars. And of course they marked it BAD ORDER. This was just after COMPASS(a computer program with all stations slowly get it installed.((A real time prototype car card system))) had been installed and at the time first thing in the afternoon about 2 PM BN ran a 351 Cicero to Galesburg dead freight that often would switch and pickup at Congress Park and on down the line. Once the cars were interchange received in the computer we would print out a switch list and 351 would go to it. At the time we would sometimes "pencil switch" (cars were switched either west to Galesburg or north to Savanna and St. Paul) if there were only a couple north they would run to Galesburg and over the hump to go north. And of course a BAD ORDER had to be kicked out. So 351 switches the yard and ran some more corn across the lead at the west end of the yard. ( the switch off the main into the yard was power and CTC controlled with a dwarf signal which had to be lined by the dispatcher either for the main or down the hill to the IHB) Then the Congo came out about 4 PM after 351 had got out of town with the west cars. During the Dinky Parade the Congo would switch the sugar plant and other cars in the yard(Sou box leaking more corn) Then the Harbor would shove up more cars often during the parade and fill the yard. (More computer work) And switching would resume after the parade(more leaking corn) and the Congo would take cars west to Westmont, or Downer Grove. And while they were gone the Harbor would shove more cars up into the yard for the Congo to switch on their return(more corn added to the lead) and of course spring rain and now after a week or so we were wading in corn up to our shoe tops(Slippery and slimy and of course smelly) After a week or so the Harbor informed the BN they would not interchange any more traffic until corn was removed as it was a safety hazard, So the MOW had to come out with dump trucks and shovels and end loader to clean the lead at the west end of the yard of all the split rotten corn. That is why all the pigeons and doves were around the yards. The passenger trains would dump and fertilize and water the split grain and give the green tinge to the ballast on Granger roads. Steve in SC On Monday, March 6, 2017 9:06 AM, "JK public@redtower.net [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote: Here's a photo of a boxcar-loading (only) grain elevator...
http://transport.castlegraphics.com/displayimage.php?album=96&pid=2113 http://transport.castlegraphics.com/displayimage.php?album=96&pid=2120 Note the chutes coming out the rear, they used to have a canvas? extension that would allow the worker to load the boxcar. This grain elevator stopped shipping by rail even in the 1960s, as you can see (no stub track and no extensions on the chutes). Cheers! Jan Kohl www.castlegraphics.com On 3/6/2017 12:47 AM, ras1@uniserve.com
[CBQ] wrote:
Keith No seems to have mentioned how the cars were filled. The was a space above the grain doors that the pipe from the grain elevator was put through, and swept back and forth to distribute the grain in the car, up to the level marked on the interior walls for that type of grain. The car could not be filled right to the top because of weight/load limits of the cars. These load levels were obvious if you could see into the cars - possible interior detail? __._,_.___ Posted by: STEVEN HOLDING <sholding@sbcglobal.net> __,_._,___ |