Full Version: Shorpy photo Steam era question
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There is a great photo showing track in Chicago Union station and the ties are only placed under one rail with what appears to be a 2 foot gap in between.
My guess is it was done to stop the ties from catching fire when dropping ashes, but if anyone knows for sure I would be all ears.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.shorpy.com/node/15869?size=_original#caption">http://www.shorpy.com/node/15869?size=_original#caption</a><!-- m --> It's one detail I have never seen before.
Charlie
I wonder why they would drop the ashes at the station when there's a nearby engine service area?
And did they drop ashes all the way to where the locos stopped? And if so why they couldn't they do it on the way into the station?
I assume there is concrete under the ties but no ballast to hold the ties. The ties are bolted to the concrete and the rails are mounted on the ties as usual. I saw similar constructions in buildings some times.
I know that ashes would fall out of the ashpans anywhere, and could start tie fires. saw it happen when they were testing a 2-4-0 on the PL&W. I don't know if that is the reason the ties are laid like that, it was my guess.
Charlie

jwb

Keep in mind that this is a passenger terminal, and until the 1970s, US passenger car toilets were just hoppers that emptied onto the tracks. This would allow the tracks to be hosed out periodically.
The toilets dumped to the outside of the rail. I doubt there was that many people using the toilet while the train was standing in the station, and the toilets did have a sign telling folks not to empty while the train was standing.
Charlie
I would have to go with Faraway on this one. Occam's razor. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one.

There is no ballast, therefore the ties are bolted to the concrete. The center of the tie would serve no purpose, and so is eliminated to save material.

Just my thought process on the matter.

Dave
Charlie B Wrote:The toilets dumped to the outside of the rail. I doubt there was that many people using the toilet while the train was standing in the station, and the toilets did have a sign telling folks not to empty while the train was standing.
Charlie

Charlie,If memory serves there was a notice on the door of the restroom that read roughly: "Passengers Will Refrain From Flushing Toilet While Train is Stop ( standing?) At Stations."
Puddlejumper Wrote:I would have to go with Faraway on this one. Occam's razor. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one.

There is no ballast, therefore the ties are bolted to the concrete. The center of the tie would serve no purpose, and so is eliminated to save material.

Just my thought process on the matter.

Dave
I don't think that works, why go to the expense and bother of bolts and concrete to save 2 foot of railroad tie, which at the time would have been about a quarter. there had to be a reason for it that makes more sense. the reinforcement for the concrete would have been more than the ties, and the labor intensive.
Charlie
The ties were going to be bolted to the concrete anyway. The short ties were probably ordered and delivered short. No extra expense or labor involved.

Though I do wonder why concrete, instead of standard ballast.

jwb

Brakie Wrote:
Charlie B Wrote:The toilets dumped to the outside of the rail. I doubt there was that many people using the toilet while the train was standing in the station, and the toilets did have a sign telling folks not to empty while the train was standing.
Charlie

Charlie,If memory serves there was a notice on the door of the restroom that read roughly: "Passengers Will Refrain From Flushing Toilet While Train is Stop ( standing?) At Stations."

And of course, everyone followed that, didn't they? And some cars -- the Erie Stillwells, for instance -- didn't flush, they simply had hoppers. I do recall waiting at the Glendale station (where all trains stopped, and passengers presumably followed the signs diligently) seeing deposits, so to speak, on the track.

It looks to me as if the trackbed slopes to the center, and if you look at the snow in the photo, there's various undetermined lumps of stuff at the center of the track. The ability to hose whatever to the center and have it flow along still seems like a good idea. EDIT: For that matter, look at the undetermined shapes between the rail and the platform edge! Yeah, maybe a couple of boxes, but lots of, er, lumps. . .
I found this:[attachment=15205]
Here. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.unionstationmp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RailwayAge-1925-0704-Chicago-Union-Station.pdf">http://www.unionstationmp.com/wp-conten ... tation.pdf</a><!-- m -->

Thanks for all of your answers, I still never have seen this anywhere.
Charlie

jwb

"Rubbish" being the polite term.
jwb, I don't know if you are old enough to remember the 50's but nothing was thought of just dropping your wrappers, milkshake cups, cigars and cigarettes, or anything else you needed to get rid of. throw it out the car window. I had a friend that made a dollar every morning cleaning up litter around the Dairy Queen, and I know that was before we moved from the town in 1953. I had forgotten about the litter everywhere, and I guess we didn't think much about it. I guess if everyone used the trash cans at the Dairy Queen, Tom wouldn't have had a job. I am certain there was the other stuff too. Goldth
Charlie
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