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Re: Image of string of boxcars Chicago IL 1952

Bruce Smith
 

Claus,

Two flags - Each flag was placed by someone working on the cars. This indicates multiple people working on/with these cars. You can only remove the flag you placed. This prevents someone removing someone else's blue flag protection by accident. My guess is that the loading dock personnel placed on, and the carman placed the other.

As for the hose, it sure looks like he is charging the brakes. If I were a betting person, I would bet that the other end of one of those strings is connected, not to a loco, but to a compressor. He's getting the strings ready to move and by charging the air, it will get them out faster. He may also be doing brake tests/inspections prior to the cars being pulled. "Yard air" was fairly common and allowed these things to occur without using valuable locomotive crew time. 

And what gives with the end of the car in the middle? At first, I though it might be an unpainted replacement panel, but instead it looks like spilled cargo that has seeped through the seam in the end? Clearly not a "tight" seam...

And of course, these photos are available directly from the Library of Congress as opposed to tumblr.

Regards
Bruce
Bruce Smith
Auburn, AL

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Claus Schlund &#92;(HGM&#92;) <claus@...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 8:50 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Image of string of boxcars Chicago IL 1952
 
Hi Jim and List Members,
 
Thanks Jim for the links.
 
Jim wrote: "Many Jack Delano photos, again discussed here prior. https://chicagopast.com/tagged/Illinois-Central-Railroad "
 
Within the above link I noticed the specific image linked below...
 
I see the trainman looks to have linked the brake hoses on two cuts of cars on two separate tracks. It looks like he did this with the railroad equivalent of an 'extension cord' connecting the two brakelines. What exactly is going on there? Is he using one engine (perhaps out of sight at the far end of one of these two cuts) to charge the brakes on both cuts? Perhaps the engine is already coupled onto one cut, and will then immediately couple onto the second cut, and then move both cuts together? Other ideas?
 
I note that every car has TWO blue flags - one on the coupler and another one on the end ladder
 
Claus Schlund
 
----- Original Message -----
From: np328
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2020 6:25 PM
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Image of string of boxcars Chicago IL 1952

Here is a link to the Chicago Past website, I know I have posted this prior however it has some go railroad photos buried within and here some good color of the Pabst sign and railroad cars. 
Many Jack Delano photos, again discussed here prior. https://chicagopast.com/tagged/Illinois-Central-Railroad

My father who lived for many years in Chicago often had comments that echoed Michael's when we went down into the loop area as a family on short vacations and he revisited old haunts.   

I am always amazed at all the trackage on the north side of the river that served the Merchandise Mart, and extended out to the Navy Pier at one time in earlier years top of this photo
http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/uic_caps/id/105                                                       Jim Dick  St. Paul, MN   

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