Shorpy photo Steam era question

[jwb]

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. . .