----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Storzek
To: STMFC@...
Sent: Tuesday, 09 December, 2008 10:42 AM
Subject: [STMFC] Re: Interlocker Car


--- In STMFC@..., "gary roe" <wabashrr@...> wrote:
>
> I realize this question is coming from an era way before most of us
model; but I ran across something I had never heard of before, and
thought I'd run it past you all.
>
> In looking at a listing of freight car equipment for the Wabash
Railroad from 1914, back in the back under Company Service Cars, there
is a listing for 35 "Interlocker Cars". There are no dimensions or
any other data associated with the listing. What is an Interlocker
Car, and/or what it is used for?
>
> gary roe
> quincy, illinois

Hmmmm. No one took a stab at this, so I guess I will.

An "interlocker" was the employee responsible for maintaining
interlocking plants. When I worked for the Chicago Transit Authority
back in the seventies, our signalmen were still universally called
"interlockers".

I suspect the "interlocker cars" were simply camp or tool cars
specifically assigned to the signal department; they may have been
special in that they were set up to support a small gang, with part of
the car living space and the rest workbench / tool storage.

Dennis