It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:34 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Horse cars and horse cars
PostPosted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 9:34 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am
Posts: 1025
There was a notice on the main Interchange board about a "horse car" being scrapped. I immediately thought of this kind of car, i.e. a small conveyance powered by one or more "hayburners". I suggested that the large cars, a variation on the typical heavyweight baggage cars of the 1920s, usually used for transporting race horses to the next track, be identified as "horse express cars". At least two of Santa Fe's horse express cars are preserved, one at Orange Empire and one at LA County Fairgrounds, where the UP 4014 will soon be leaving the display.

Photo: an "imitation" horsecar at Solvang, the Danish-theme town in Santa Barbara County CA about 40 years ago.


Attachments:
IMG_0020.jpg
IMG_0020.jpg [ 314.35 KiB | Viewed 4708 times ]

_________________
Bob Davis
Southern California
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Horse cars and horse cars
PostPosted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 9:44 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am
Posts: 1025
Some "horsecars" were powered by mules, especially in warmer climates. Here's a replica of the Ontario and San Antonio Heights mule car, complete with the trailer that used to give the critters a "free ride" downhill. The line was electrified in 1895, and the body of one of the 170-class cars that Pacific Electric used after the overhead was changed to 1200 volts is preserved at Orange Empire. The display is in the median of Euclid Ave. in Ontario, right where the original car ran.


Attachments:
IMG_5494.JPG
IMG_5494.JPG [ 251.16 KiB | Viewed 4706 times ]

_________________
Bob Davis
Southern California
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Horse cars and horse cars
PostPosted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:31 pm 

Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:58 pm
Posts: 1346
Location: Chicago USA
I thought they meant horse car as well.

I feel sorry for the horse in the top photo. The whole point of a horse car as opposed to just some sort of horse-drawn coach is the low friction of steel wheel on steel rail (or iron if you prefer). That appears to be a fairly large car for a single horse to pull on what are probably ordinary pneumatic tires. Look up omnibus and you will see much smaller vehicles and still they used more than one horse.

Steve


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Horse cars and horse cars
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:26 am 

Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am
Posts: 1025
Solvang is in an area with lots of horses. If this one was being overworked, one of the locals would have done something about it, and we don't mean just writing to "Good Horsekeeping" magazine. I haven't been to Solvang in many years, so I don't know if this ride is still in operation. Also, formerly of railroad interest in this area: About five miles away on US 101 north of Buellton, there used to be a long-closed diner which incorporated the bodies of two Huntington Standard streetcars from Los Angeles. After being moved to Morro Bay, they were moved again to a private live steam railroad operation near Arroyo Grande (near San Luis Obispo). Solvang is also not far from the estate of the late Michael Jackson, who reportedly had a narrow gauge railway on his property.

_________________
Bob Davis
Southern California


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: