The Victor type drawbar was used by many systems and is much safer than one piece types.

Toronto used this system with two drawbars and uses an updated version to this day. The drawbars are installed on each car several feet apart with brakes set, controller in neutral. Two persons and an operator are required.

After the drawbars are installed and persons are clear, one car is moved so that the drawbar heads are about one foot apart. With one person on each side, brooms or similar pieces of wood about 4' long are placed under each drawbar transverse to the track and the drawbars lifted into horizontal alignment for coupling. Each person holds one broomstick in each hand In this way the two persons guiding the coupling are clear of and to each side while the car moves ahead and the coupling is made. Once the two drawheads are mated, the square pin is dropped in.

This is a very safe system and goes back at least 100 years. The Halton County has a number of these drawbar sets surplus and would be willing to discuss trade deals.

Gord

When I had to use that Toronto system to couple cars by myself, I would spot the powered car just far enough away that the couplers wouldn't interfere with each other when installed in the drawbar pockets. Then I found an old tree stump and shims of the right height to hold up both coupler heads at the same time while I ran the powered car to close up the couplers. After setting the brakes and chocks again, I usually had to wiggle the couplers by hand to get the J shaped square pin to drop in. If coupling to a horse car to use it as a trailer, it was easier to move the horse car by hand.

The volunteer in question has made a complete recovery. :-) You can read all about it here: http://www.trolleyride.org/CHSL_Main/Cu ... 015_10.pdf

Tony -

Great news! Thanks.


Les