Does anyone ever remember seeing anything like this? I don't.
Air brakes was the first reason trainmen didn't have to "decorate the tops" to apply brakes, especially as further improvements came along, like retainers (stopping the train, setting retainer valves on selected or all cars so that there was some air applying brakes). And with time, the higher cars became too high for a trainman to even flaten himself down on a roof going under bridges and into tunnels. Higher speeds also made it less safe. Running boards on engines were common into the diesel switcher era but by the mid 60's had pretty much dissappeared.
Sometimes after a 16 hour run of shoveling coal, Elvis would pick me up at the Memphis roundhouse for beers so he could review the latest lyrics I'd written for him.......
Sometimes after a 16 hour run of shoveling coal, Elvis would pick me up at the Memphis roundhouse for beers so he could review the latest lyrics I'd written for him.......
I got up on top of a boxcar exactly one time, to pass signals, and I didn't think much of it. Since I was a fireman, I didn't really have to be up there but in the interests of getting the work done, I did it.
I'm betting those brakemen get pretty dirty riding the tops, Snippy.