GUYZ,
 
Is this not the stick that was used by the brakeman to tighten down the brake wheel ?
 
Fred Freitas


________________________________
From: Don Strack <donstrack@...>
To: STMFC <STMFC@...>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 7:30 AM
Subject: [STMFC] What was a wheel stick used for?


 
Mel Johnson's blog about scanned Union Pacific drawings poses this
question. What was a wheel stick used for?

http://theoldmachinist.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/what-was-a-wheel-stick-used-for/

The drawing in question (from 1924) shows a stand used to hold a wheel
stick, and shows a wheel stick sitting in the stand.

I have seen a jacking bar used to spot rail cars, that is placed at
the jucture between the car wheel and the rail head, and the car was
moved with a downward prying action. But I don't think that this was
what a wheel stick was used for.

I looked in several Car Builder dictionaries and cyclopedias, but
nothing is listed. I have several railroad-related books from Google
Books (downloaded before they changed their policy), and they don't
show such a device.

Anyone?

Don Strack