[PRR-talk] High wide load designations

[Kris]

With regard to these H & W loads, can anyone comment on what the minimum
height was for freight to be considered H & W?  Along those lines, what
might be the avg max height for such loads.  Understand that could vary
greatly depending on specific location.. 

 

Also, I've seen photos of these unusual H & W loads with a sign of some sort
advertising the item being shipped and / or the manufacturer.  Were such
signs simply for the railroad/company photographer or would these signs stay
on the shipped item while it was moving from point A to point B?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

Kris

 

From: prr-talk-bounces at dsop.com [mailto:prr-talk-bounces at dsop.com] On Behalf
Of Bruce Smith
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9:54 AM
To: ndbprr at att.net; PRR-Talk Talk
Subject: Re: [PRR-talk] High wide load designations

 

 

On Jun 24, 2008, at 8:07 AM, ndbprr at att.net wrote:





Were there special symbols for high wide or heavy loads?  Were there any
scheduled moves or were they all extras?  Say around 1955-1960?  Thanks,
Norm Bell

 

Norm,

 

AFAIK all PRR freight trains, even symbols, were in reality extras as none
had time-table authority over any other train (this from a former PRR
dispatcher).  

 

That said, yes, there were regular high and wide movements.  For example,
there was a high and wide "scheduled" for the Port Road (C&PD) every Sunday
morning.  If you think about it, that makes sense, since that would be a low
traffic time on the RR.  In addition, there was a wide spot specifically
noted on the C&PD at the passing siding at Midway to allow H&W loads to
clear opposing movements.

 

I would anticipate that non-priority H&W loads were collected somewhere such
as Baltimore and then run as a solid train to Enola in this instance.
Obviously, other H&W loads were run as needed, particularly if they required
movement prior to the "scheduled" day.  Finally, local delivery of H&W loads
on the C&PD was relative common because there were 4 power plants (if you
count the hydro and steam plants at Holtwood as 2) on that branch.

 

For model railroaders this can make for an interesting ops session if you
follow the Bill Darnaby approach.  Bill runs sequential 12 hour sessions.
So, once every 14 sessions, it is Sunday morning.  In that case, all those
odd-ball H&W cars can come out of the storage boxes for the H&W train.  In
addition, if you add H&W cars to regular trains, note that they frequently
had general speed limitations (30 mph or even slower) and specific speed
limits (5 mph, or walking speed with observers) where clearances were tight.

Regards

Bruce

 

Bruce F. Smith            

Auburn, AL

http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/index.pl/bruce_f._smith2

 

"Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield."

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