Tim,

The steel floor of these cars likely had holes for rods used as tie downs. Some steel floored flat cars had holes that were essentially a larger diameter circle partially superimposed on a smaller circle. The rod with either a bent end or a bolt on the end, could be fitted through the large hole and then slid over into the smaller hole, resulting in the rod being retained by the deck.

Regards,

Bruce

Bruce Smith

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From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2019 6:12 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Photo: Cyclotron Load On C&NW Heavy Duty Flat Car 48053

 

I don't really care what it is, but I'd like to know what those heavy
steel rods are attached to on the deck of the flat car. Didn't those flats
have heavy steel floors? Are the rods bored into the deck?




On 7/21/2019 3:55 PM, Bob Chaparro via Groups.Io wrote:

Photo: Cyclotron Load On C&NW Heavy Duty Flat Car 48053

A 1946 photo:

https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A943.84664.GN/viewer

Photo can be enlarged quite a bit.

Description: Loading the Cyclotron for Shipment.

A cyclotron is a device to accelerate charged atomic and subatomic particles by an alternating electric field. More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclotron

I believe the photo shows some non-operating part of the cyclotron, perhaps a support base.

Bob Chaparro

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Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts