Jim Betz wrote:

Tony,
Thanks for the link to your blog and the excellent write up about route cards. If you are of a mind to do so - you might add a bit of coverage about the tack boards on the ends of cars and when they were used (and not?) and for want.

I believe, though I have no specific knowledge, that any placard having to do with hazards or special handling of the cargo were applied to both sides and ends. Notices such as "Unload Other Side" would be most meaningful only on a side door.

Question - some one mentioned hazard placarding. Wasn't it relatively rare for hazardous loads to be transported in any type of car other than tanks - or is it just so much more common in tanks that we don't see the hazard placarding on other car types?

I think your second possibility the most likely, but don't really know.

Is the topic of hazardous placarding worthy of another page in your excellent blog (or does it already exist)? I know that the placards and practices relating to them went thru some significant changes over the years - usually in broad sweeping changes that happened "all at once" from time to time when the government saw a need to revisit the topic.

If I knew more about this, yes, it would be very suitable. I seem to recall discussion of the tank car placard formats in different eras, on this list, some years back, but don't find it on a cursory search. I believe there are decals for tank car placards of both the modern and transition eras.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
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