The thread on replacement handles for railcar movers got me to thinking:

Has anyone included a push pole in static exhibit of a locomotive? Were original poles "factory" made or were they frequently homemade out of whatever local wood was available. What was the wood of choice for these? Did they come in standard sizes in terms of diameter and length?

Our Georgia Northern 107 tender still has the hooks on the tender frame to hold a pole and I thought from an interpretive standpoint it might be interesting to have a pole to illustrate this very dangerous way of moving cars on adjacent tracks.

As far as I know there was no standard for the poles.

In the copy of `Locomotive Cyclopedia' I have, there is a standard drawing set that shows the pole. I think the drawing was from Canadian National. I will have to find it again to get the specs.

Rich C.

Has anyone saved a Push Pole Car? That's a flat car with 4 poles on hinges and a small booth for the operator who remotely controls the swing of the poles, to push cars on adjacent tracks in a very busy yard.

WRM's Sacramento Northern 654 is equipped with a push pole.

Several of the locos at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis have their poles. There is a sign next to one with an O. Winston Link photo (with permission) of one being used. I used to make a point of mentioning it on tours, as well as the poling pockets on nearby cars.

The EBT locomotives retain their poles, though the locomotives do not have poling pockets. I expect this was for force crews to use another car for poling in case case of a derailment. (better to derail a car than a loco)

Jim,

I think that the practice of poling is generally well known and understood to be an occasional method of getting around a switching problem. It is also widely understood to be dangerous. However, I recently became aware of the entirely different and surprising dimension of the poling practice used in the pre-1900 era, which entailed the used of pole cars that you mention. John White describes the practice in his book, The American Railroad Freight Car. With this poling practice, the objective was high production classification switching. As I understand it, an engine with a pole car on one track alternately or simultaneously worked cuts of cars on tracks on each side. Cars were shoved or kicked off the leading ends of the cuts with the pole car. The advantage was not having to repeatedly start and stop the whole cut to kick cars off the leading end.

I don’t know how long this practice lasted, but would be very surprised to learn that any pole cars exist today. Other than the reference in John White’s book, and your mention of pole cars here, I have never heard any mention of the use of this production poling practice whatsoever. It would be very interesting to learn more about the practice, its users, and their equipment.

Push poles were also used to align cars with loading docks (and so fourth) when there might be long sidings with several bunches or sets of cars at the numerous docks at a factory or lumber mill. The stevedores would need a car (empty or loaded) moved to a door or dock. The engine crew would not want to move every car on the siding just to get to the one that needed to be moved so they would use the push poles.

I saw a modern (1970's) switcher crew try to do it with a cross tie one time...not a pretty outcome. It exploded in dust and splinters. (don't try this at home)

Is it just my imagination, or is that a push poll hanging above the rear tender truck on 765? I happened to notice it out in Owosso a couple weekends ago.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=167291