Virginian Hoppers questions

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During an MER/NMRA convention in Philly during the 1960's, we visited the Reading's Port Richmond coal dumper at the pier on the Delaware River.  In those innocent days, we were allowed to walk up the incline to the rotary dumper.  A brakeman boarded each car just before it was pushed up the ramp; left the car while it was dumped; then reboarded the empty.  He rode the empty car down the roller coaster, through the reverse 'kickback' then into the yard tracks where he 
brought the car to a stop - all by hand.  Then he crossed to the starting point and repeated the procedure - all day.  We were told each brakeman made 6 to 12 trips per hour, depending on how many were working the job.  No doubt this was prior to OSHA.

Jerome Crosson

In a message dated 01/05/09 18:58:46 Eastern Standard Time, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:
Ted, 

The brake wheels were used at the mine or dump ramps, where gravity was 
used to move the cars. A brake man rode the car and used the wheel to slow, 
and eventually stop the car where needed. 
Bowser probably used the standard hopper and didn't renumber them. 

Tom Anson 

On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 21:45:06 -0000,  wrote: 

> . 

> 

>   1.. I was surprised to find that the VGN hopper kits have brake wheels 

> on vertical shafts at the top of the car. Why were hoppers fitted this 

> way? It seems unlikely that brakemen would be expected to walk from car 

to 

> car along the top of loaded coal, and what could they do with empty cars? 



>   Did the hoppers retain this form of brake gear right to their end in 

> 1953? If not, when was a change made, and to what design? 

> 

>   2.. In Australia in December, I found a Bowser kit for a pale grey VGN 

> covered hopper marked as 'Cement car' In the 1956 Official Railway 

> Equipment Register, VGN is shown as having two of these 70ton cars 

> numbered 3800 and 3801. The Bowser car has markings as shown in the VGN 

> painting and lettering diagrams, but with the car number as 6015. In the 

> above ORER this number is one of a group of 1000 55 ton hoppers. Can 

> anyone enlighten me on whether Bowser simply got it wrong, or is there 

> some other explanation? 

>   3.. Not a question, but another surprise in the Australian shop was to 

> find the Bowser Centenial N&W hopper, which had eluded me in England, so 

I 

> promptly bought that too! 

> Happy New Year to you all! 

> 

> Ted Roberts. (Home email: tedmorag at talktalk.net.) 

-- 
Tom Anson 

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