1. main@RealSTMFC.groups.io

Re: M3 stuarts on Soo Line flat car in Cincy photo

Greg Martin
 

Bruce and Claus,

Focusing just on the PRR G26 (52' 6" inside) on the RIP track it has a pretty nasty load shift. It is now out of diagram and will have to have the load corrected and secured before moving. Note that the saplings on the near end of car are out of place and pulled inward the telltale sign of the shift.

These appear to be 52 foot poles of a lesser grade or utility pole grade that shifted making them appear to be of mixed length.  The poles in the car in the center of the yard appear to be 72-foot pole IIRC and it is in need of idler cars.

Eventually all things merge into one and a river runs through it.
Norman Maclean



Sent from AOL Desktop

In a message dated 12/29/2017 8:21:51 PM Pacific Standard Time, STMFC@... writes:

 

 

​Claus,

 

Let's be clear, loading poles on gons to that height was common, as was loading them in that manner.  Note the gon load of long poles in the background, this time with the entire load beling long poles and the drop ends of the gon down.  The gon on the RIP track (PRR G26 class, BTW) looks to have shifter the load on the near end to the side, NOT end to end.  It will likely be jacked or winched until the load is within the boundaries of the car and new side stakes added to replace the once that appear to have broken or slipped.

 

Regards,

Bruce Smith

Auburn, AL

From: STMFC@... <STMFC@...> on behalf of 'Claus Schlund' claus@... [STMFC] <STMFC@...>
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2017 11:38 AM
To: stmfc@...
Subject: Re: [STMFC] M3 stuarts on Soo Line flat car in Cincy photo



Hi Mike,

I had noticed the poles extending over the ends of the gondola. I had assumed the gon was loaded where shorter poles were at the bottom, and longer poles were loaded above those, making for an extended load that overhung the end of the car. Of course a shifted load is a much more plausible explanation!

For a gon load situation such as this, would the load be properly repositioned before moving further, or would the gon perhaps simply complete its trip with an impromptu ‘extended load’, possibly with some reinforcing of the existing restraints along with a spacer flat as a companion? It would seem like repositioning the load would be a lot of work and a lot of expense...

Claus Schlund 
Join main@RealSTMFC.groups.io to automatically receive all group messages.