Steam & Excursion > Santa Fe 3751 in Claremont, Calif.

This was taken in April of 2014 coming back from San Bernardino.The ugly diesel was cropped out.

Don Winslow
Glendora, CA
http://www.donwinslow.net/Railroads



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/20 15:36 by DonWinslow.

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But there wouldn't have been diesels in 1914.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> But there wouldn't have been diesels in 1914.

Oh crap. Thanks, I fixed it.

Don Winslow
Glendora, CA
http://www.donwinslow.net/Railroads



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/20 15:38 by DonWinslow.

Then there is those stupid yellow wheel chocks, on the front pilot beam! I think I would rather have seen the diesel.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> But there wouldn't have been diesels in 1914.

Or a 4-8-4 for that matter.  LOL

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Those yellow things usually are used as 'skates' in retarder controlled hump yards.
They're placed at the far end of the empty classification tracks to stop the
first of the slowly rolling cars from fouling adjacent yard tracks .

When 'new', skates have a long 'toe-plate' that reaches under the wheel tread, at the rail.
That causes the other wheel of the axle to skid on the rail head, and brings the car(s)
to a secure stop.

The toe-plate eventually wears ( shortens) sufficiently...from the skidding action of the locked wheel sets.
 when cuts of several cars gets stopped by the skates.  They may last 6 months to a year, as braking skates..

Worn skates can be re-purposed... like for wheel chocks.
But, I agree, that's not a proper or safe place to carry that scrap iron.
I also prefer a different wheel chock --- that gets tightly wedged under the wheel tread.

Skates, used as chocks, can be problematic if that toe-plate keeps that angled, wheel-wedge from
jamming tightly against the wheel tread.... or, if not properly, & securely placed.

Our practice at HICO, was never to use worn skates as wheel chocks, when securing parked steamers.
We couldn't get them to fit right..thus, we eschewed any improper wheel chocks.

Preferences matter. 

W.

( What's with those 'flags', by the stack...? Black & white?)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/20 17:00 by wcamp1472.

When I was on the crew we carried large chains in the tender compartment for wheel chocks.
We would put several on each side of the locomotive.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/20 17:30 by Bob3985.

Nice image from my home town!  I was a grade crossing east of you at College Ave. that day.  (Looks like Ed Dickens in the fireman's seat.)
GK
 

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Wes -

They are a pair of flags bearing the "Skull & Crossbones" = Pirate Flags.

(SP)2472Don
Manoa Valley, O'ahu

wcamp1472 Wrote:
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> Those yellow things usually are used as 'skates'
> in retarder controlled hump yards.
> They're placed at the far end of the empty
> classification tracks to stop the
> first of the slowly rolling cars from fouling
> adjacent yard tracks .
>
> When 'new', skates have a long 'toe-plate' that
> reaches under the wheel tread, at the rail.
> That causes the other wheel of the axle to skid on
> the rail head, and brings the car(s)
> to a secure stop.
>
> The toe-plate eventually wears ( shortens)
> sufficiently...from the skidding action of the
> locked wheel sets.
>  when cuts of several cars gets stopped by the
> skates.  They may last 6 months to a year, as
> braking skates..
>
> Worn skates can be re-purposed... like for wheel
> chocks.
> But, I agree, that's not a proper or safe place to
> carry that scrap iron.
> I also prefer a different wheel chock --- that
> gets tightly wedged under the wheel tread.
>
> Skates, used as chocks, can be problematic if that
> toe-plate keeps that angled, wheel-wedge from
> jamming tightly against the wheel tread.... or, if
> not properly, & securely placed.
>
> Our practice at HICO, was never to use worn skates
> as wheel chocks, when securing parked steamers.
> We couldn't get them to fit right..thus, we
> eschewed any improper wheel chocks.
>
> Preferences matter. 
>
> W.
>
> ( What's with those 'flags', by the stack...?
> Black & white?)

Regarding the "pirate flags" (also known as "Jolly Rogers")--up in San Franccisco, they fly the Jolly Roger from the trolley ropes of the English "Blackpool Boat Trams" that run along the Embarcadero on special occasions.