Toe scuff weathering


 

On Thu, Oct 20, 2022 at 07:35 AM, Alex Schneider wrote:
Dan, thanks for the link to that video. By the 1970s when it was made, vertical shaft brakes were uncommon except on flat cars, and the move was on to bring brake wheels down on house cars and remove roof walks.
 
Alex Schneider 
 

Here is another safety film from the '40s that shows the different types of house car handbrakes and how to use them properly.
Starting at about 16:10 into the film is the part on handbrakes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqpayZ2JqlU

While this just barely touches on the use of side ladders leading to scuff marks, the topic of the thread, it does cover various
handbrakes from the late steam era better.

Dan Smith
 


Alex Schneider
 

Dan, thanks for the link to that video. By the 1970s when it was made, vertical shaft brakes were uncommon except on flat cars, and the move was on to bring brake wheels down on house cars and remove roof walks.

Alex Schneider 

Alex Schneider


From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Dan Smith <espeefan@...>
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2022 8:34:59 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Toe scuff weathering
 
Alex and all,

It is standard safety practice to use the side ladder when climbing a car so that is why scuff marks do not appear on the end ladders.
Here is a safety film on proper practice that may be useful on this point, starting at approximately 12:30 minutes into film
is section on proper practice to use ladders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNqPV9EOskQ

It is also a great film to watch for all the great freight cars and details shown.

Hope this is useful,
Dan Smith


 

Alex and all,

It is standard safety practice to use the side ladder when climbing a car so that is why scuff marks do not appear on the end ladders.
Here is a safety film on proper practice that may be useful on this point, starting at approximately 12:30 minutes into film
is section on proper practice to use ladders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNqPV9EOskQ

It is also a great film to watch for all the great freight cars and details shown.

Hope this is useful,
Dan Smith


Alex Schneider
 

The scuffing is much more evident on the car sides than on the ends, at least in the case of the B&O and NYC cars. Presumably a brakeman would climb up the side of the first car in a cut, apply its brakes, then walk along the roof walk setting additional brakes. 

Most cars do not have a step below the end ladder so getting onto it from the ground was difficult. It was probably easier to go up the side. If the car had power brakes, or if he was setting the retainer, he could climb down a couple of steps from the roof on the end ladder. If the car had a vertical shaft he could stay on the roof and turn the brake wheel. 

Alex Schneider 

Alex Schneider


From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Robert G P <bobgp5109@...>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2022 5:38:25 PM
To: main@realstmfc.groups.io <main@realstmfc.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Toe scuff weathering
 
Thank you guys a lot! Now I'll never unsee them! 

I have noticed this in photos before and *assumed* they were from ladder use and this verifies it. 

-Rob

On Wed, Oct 19, 2022 at 6:29 PM Dennis Storzek via groups.io <soolinehistory=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Tim O'Connor just posted a photo here: https://realstmfc.groups.io/g/main/message/196117 Keep in mind this is a Mexican car, and there is likely much more traffic on those ladders south of the border than US cars normally encounter.

Dennis Storzek


Robert G P
 

Thank you guys a lot! Now I'll never unsee them! 

I have noticed this in photos before and *assumed* they were from ladder use and this verifies it. 

-Rob

On Wed, Oct 19, 2022 at 6:29 PM Dennis Storzek via groups.io <soolinehistory=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Tim O'Connor just posted a photo here: https://realstmfc.groups.io/g/main/message/196117 Keep in mind this is a Mexican car, and there is likely much more traffic on those ladders south of the border than US cars normally encounter.

Dennis Storzek


Dennis Storzek
 

Tim O'Connor just posted a photo here: https://realstmfc.groups.io/g/main/message/196117 Keep in mind this is a Mexican car, and there is likely much more traffic on those ladders south of the border than US cars normally encounter.

Dennis Storzek


Eric Hansmann
 

Rob,

 

You can see scuffing above the grab irons on this metal end of a Southern SU box car.

https://i0.wp.com/designbuildop.hansmanns.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/201809_twoxm_7.jpg

 

The scuffs are noticeable on the two B&O box cars in one of the attached images, and an NYC box car in the other.

 

 

Eric Hansmann

Murfreesboro, TN

 

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Robert G P
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2022 4:51 PM
To: RealSTMFC@groups.io
Subject: [RealSTMFC] Toe scuff weathering

 

Hello all,

 

Recently there has been talk of toe scuff detail weathering for boxcars. Just curious if anyone could share a picture of this.

 

Thanks,

Rob


Robert G P
 

Hello all,

Recently there has been talk of toe scuff detail weathering for boxcars. Just curious if anyone could share a picture of this.

Thanks,
Rob