In the Winter '05 issue of the AC&Y HS "News" there is a reprint of the
report to the ICC covering the sale of the P&N's 24000-series boxcars to
the AC&Y; this has detailed information on the car, including the brakes.
However, I can't quite make out the handwriting there - perhaps someone
would know what it says? What I'd like to know is the brake wheel type.
The text reads (I've put quotes around the words I can't quite make out):

Brake mast and racket -
Make: AAR 1 1/4"
Type: "Shearco (Sheavco?)" wheel and chain for additional "b....g" power

Frank Valoczy

On May 28, 2007, at 3:01 PM, destron@... wrote:

In the Winter '05 issue of the AC&Y HS "News" there is a reprint of
the
report to the ICC covering the sale of the P&N's 24000-series boxcars
to
the AC&Y; this has detailed information on the car, including the
brakes.
However, I can't quite make out the handwriting there - perhaps
someone
would know what it says? What I'd like to know is the brake wheel
type.
The text reads (I've put quotes around the words I can't quite make
out):

Brake mast and racket -
Make: AAR 1 1/4"
Type: "Shearco (Sheavco?)" wheel and chain for additional "b....g"
power

Photos show these cars with vertical staff hand brakes, which were
required by AAR rules to have a staff diameter of 1-1/4", so that's
obviously what the first line refers to.

In the 1920s several railway appliance manufacturers offered mechanisms
for multiplying the power applied by the brake chain that wound around
the bottom of the vertical staff, thus providing additional braking
power. The two whose names ended with "...co" were Gemco and Ureco
(Union Railway Equipment Co.). I'd vote for Ureco.

Richard Hendrickson

In the 1920s several railway appliance manufacturers offered mechanisms
for multiplying the power applied by the brake chain that wound around
the bottom of the vertical staff, thus providing additional braking
power. The two whose names ended with "...co" were Gemco and Ureco
(Union Railway Equipment Co.). I'd vote for Ureco.

Looked at it again, it's certainly not Ureco; the "co" bit was a guess;
the initial "Sh" I'm almost 100% on... looking again, hmm. Was there
anything like Shearer or Sheaver?

Frank Valoczy

On May 28, 2007, at 9:11 PM, destron@... wrote:

> In the 1920s several railway appliance manufacturers offered
mechanisms
> for multiplying the power applied by the brake chain that wound
around
> the bottom of the vertical staff, thus providing additional braking
> power. The two whose names ended with "...co" were Gemco and Ureco
> (Union Railway Equipment Co.). I'd vote for Ureco.

Looked at it again, it's certainly not Ureco; the "co" bit was a
guess;
the initial "Sh" I'm almost 100% on... looking again, hmm. Was there
anything like Shearer or Sheaver?

In the 1920s Car Builders' Cylcopedias and the other literature I have
on hand brakes, the only manufacturer I can find with a name that's
remotely similar is the Schaefer Equipment Co. of Pittsburgh, which
made a variety of brake rods, levers, and other brake fittings. Could
that be it?

Richard Hendrickson

In the 1920s Car Builders' Cylcopedias and the other literature I have
on hand brakes, the only manufacturer I can find with a name that's
remotely similar is the Schaefer Equipment Co. of Pittsburgh, which
made a variety of brake rods, levers, and other brake fittings. Could
that be it?

I think you might have it. I could see Schaefer being misspelt as
"Sheaver", based on a mispronunciation or an anglicised pronunciation of
Schaefer.

Thanks!

Frank Valoczy