Canadian Railroads > A few at CN yard in Jasper,BC -- Dec 80

(1) Was this the CN version of REA ?

(2) A nice looking heavyweight combine in the background.

(3) Looks like a Budd built car in the background.
Possible Skeena equipment on the right.

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(4) An interesting homemade caboose from a wooden boxcar.

(5) A closer look at the equipment for the Skeena ?

Gary

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Truly creative caboose in photo four.
Bob

refarkas Wrote:
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> Truly creative caboose in photo four.
> Bob
It is a "flanger" type plow.. They were pulled behind the caboose, and had a plow that fit between the rails. Unlike a wedge plow, it only required a single operator, and was hauled behind regular freight trains. Those trackside signs with two dots (white dots on a black background on CN, black dots on a silver background CP) were to advize the flanger operator of upcoming obstacles between the rails.

After a collision at some time early in Canadian railway history involving a wedge plow being operated on a regular freight train, the rules were changed so that plow trains had to operate without revenue cars. This resulted in extra expense for the railways.

CP and CN had very different styles of flanger, CP's had a large centre cupola, and two plows, one for each direction, mounted under the centre of the car.. Most CN flangers had a single plow mounted on the front of the car, with the cupola on the end of the car. They were built from converted boxcars.

Notice the different truck on the plow wnd of the car, a common practice on snow plows. The truck on the plow end had less suspension . Note also the "caboose" style truck with leaf springs on the other end of the car.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/19 05:59 by eminence_grise.

eminence_grise Wrote:
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> It is a "flanger" type plow.. They were pulled
> behind the caboose, and had a plow that fit
> between the rails.

Thanks for the info on this car - I had no idea that is what it was for.
Gary

Both CP and CN had Expess subsidiaries, which lasted a few years longer the Railway Express in the US. There were also older Express companies connected to the CN constituants (North West Express, likely Canadian Northern).

Note the CN Express Company truck parked beside the office.