Interesting, Mr.Crisp, that you mentioned the Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas! I worked for Rand McNally for 20 years (retired 2001) and one of my jobs was to update the information for that atlas. It was not always easy getting the required information from the states and provinces -- sometimes had to call somebody local and have them look down the road and read the clearance info on the bridge! We did our best, but we knew it wasn't always perfect.

We have an SW1 cab on the ground and saved in Cleveland at Midwest Railway Preservation Society. There is a headlight available and some glass also. Most of the glass has fogged over the years but the frames may be usable.

Al Crisp here; I always purchased the best Rand McNally Truckers atlas every year. Plus anytime I went somewhere new I would get the best map I could find of the area. When I retired there was four milk crates full of maps under the bunk. I never fully trusted anything as Qualquam or GPS all seem to have errors. One of the simplest and long running was 11/15 below Duncannon PA to the I -81. It is a stretch that Pennsylvania sees fit to restrict 102"s and 26 foot doubles and the signs are well placed so you can not get turned around!!. More guys have paid about 600$ to the state for that one.
You have sort of confirmed what I said about checking all clearances. Thinking back so much of what we did was info that was passed on from driver to driver. Sadly I do not think there is that kind of interaction any longer. Too much follow the green ball on the screen trucking. We went thru our versions Hunter Harrison, thank you J.B. and big Pumpkin 20 years ago that dragged things down to the lowest common denominator.

The daytime picture I got confirms this theory. It must have come off at an angle, which that bridge does cross at, to sweep the cab off the hood, without even removing the bell.

If she has the as built drum controls, the only controls damaged severely/missing should be the headlight and other light controls mounted to the engineer's upper front cab corner. Those are not too hard to come by, and might even be included in a replacement cab.

Such a shame to see. I hope the owner can get her repaired and good as new.

EDIT: I just noticed that Car57 posted the same picture on Friday in the ITM thread.

Wow! All the auxiliaries everyone is describing sure are different than it was 40-45 years ago, when I was involved in moving a 61' interurban body, seven or eight complete streetcars, and a small station building and 300' of 12' wide wood platform. Yeah, state permits were required for both weight and clearances, but, with few exceptions, police escort was not, and lead and tail cars were whatever we wanted to come up with. Best quote I recall from the truck driver (a professional over-size load guy) "If I hook a wire, DON'T STOP ME. All wire over-crossings in this state are supposed to be 16' off the pavement (we were permitted for 15'-8") and if they aren't today, they will be tomorrow."

Amazing. My family owns the western third of Biddle’s Island in Logansport. In the photo just on the other side of the underpass on the left, you can see the entrance to the property on which my great grandfather built his home, in which my cousin currently lives. During our visits as I was growing up I watched trains cross the giant steel trestle just feet from the house. When I was a boy I would see BC&G 13 pull passenger trains during the Iron Horse Festival on the line seen just on the other side of the bridge over the Wabash River.

Ryan Parkevich
Columbus, Ohio

Ryan, I rode on those Iron Horse festival trains and once in the cab of L&ER #1. I have a OMI brass model that I modified to resemble her. Those were the good ol days of the Iron Horse Festival. My hope and dreams is that ITM can rebuild that wonderful Festival with one day returning the steam powered horse to the event in the form of 587. But, it sure is off to a shaky start! From someone who spoke to the locomotives owner at the local hobby shop, he is going after them with both barrels to get his engine repaired. Just going to take some time to sort out the legalities of who gets to fork over the massive amount of cash its gonna take to put the 50 back the way it was.

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From the photograph of the bridge, it also appears that the bridge was not properly marked. If the move was at night, it is possible that the driver did not see the clearance markings as they are painted on the bridge and do not appear to comply with the MUTCD. That might create some liability for the government organization that is responsible for that road. Per the MUTCD, the clearance sign should be black letters on a yellow reflective background.

So the yellow sign with black lettering on the post to the right stating the bridge clearance doesn’t fit those criteria?

No. Per MUTCD Section 2C.27 Low Clearance Signs (W12-2 and W12-2a)
Standard, it appears that the sign that should have been used is a W12-2 Low Clearance sign and the sign that was used was a W12-2a. Per MUTCD a W12-2 Low Clearance sign should be used if the warning is placed in advance of the low clearance. If the sign is placed on the low clearance, then the W12-2a sign should be used.

Based upon this information, it appears that the bridge signage might not conform to the standard. The engineer that managed the signage should have had a W12-2 sign placed just beyond the intersection and the W12-2a sign mounted on the bridge. The W12-2 sign is a yellow diamond with arrows painted on it and the height of the clearance displayed.

The marking of the bridge probably would not relieve the carrier of liability for damage to the item being shipped, but it would possibly negate any citation or action against the driver's license.

Indiana appears to have its own manual. The placement of the low clearance sign is optional - either on the structure or before. NS likely painted theirs on as an extra warning.

Indiana does have their own MUTCD. However, the placement standard of the W12-2 and W12-2a signs is the same as the federal MUTCD. Placement of the W12-2a sign is optional but placement of the W12-2 sign is not. The W12-2a sign can either be placed on the low clearance or in advance of it. The W12-2 sign is a standard warning sign and must be placed in advance of the low clearance at a location where an oversized vehicle can turn around.

The FHWA MUTCD and the Indiana MUTCD are identical with respect to Low Clearance Signs. While the rectangular W12-2a sign is typically attached to the structure with the low clearance, it is likely a Railroad Agreement is needed to do this. The W12-2 diamond sign has to be placed far enough in advance of the low clearance to allow the vehicle to detour or turn around in a safe manner. In this case, there is a W12-2 sign south of the Wabash River bridge just south of the RR bridge.

Kevin Kassay

Alan, Kevin,

Going back and reading what I wrote, yeah, that didn't come out right (not enough coffee). You guys are clear with how you stated it. Don't pay attention to that man behind the curtain....