Looks better if you remove the 'preview' ... :-)

http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/4a21996a.jpg



At 8/1/2011 08:38 PM Monday, you wrote:

On Aug 1, 2011, at 5:03 PM, Dave Lawler wrote:

http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/4a21996a.preview.jpg
Found another Shorpy photo with interesting freight cars visible on
the car ferry SS Detroit and I have a few questions:
On the starboard side, the second and third cars have some sort of
actuating rod running the length of the side. What is it's function?

Convertible stock cars, ARA class SC, which could be configured as
either single or double deck cars, often had actuating rods along the
side sills which controlled chains so that the second deck could be
raised to the roof for use as a single deck car or lowered for use as
a double deck car.

Richard Hendrickson