(erielack) The Norwich Engine

["Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>]

Schuyler, Todd and List,

I was referring to the general use of  flatcars as ramps. When the Norwich ramp was built in 1965, the 85' cars were relatively new (although the design had already been superceded by the 89' car). The 85' cars were not used for this purpose until the early 1980's when RR's began using 45' trailers and they began taking the 85-footers out of service. ATSF used several TTX's at it's Bakersfield ramp, and they were installed late enough to have been repainted yellow while still in regular service. They made ideal ramps because they were the right length and slope, already had rub rails and end apron and of course, could easily be moved to their new "home". The Norwich ramp appears to be a 40' or 50' fishbelly flat, and even with the extension the slope looks steep enough that a belly-mounted refrig unit would barely clear at the top.

For interested modelers, there's an article in the October 1984 MR that describes making a ramp out of an Athearn 85' flat. For use in the EL years, you could pretend that the car had been involved in a wreck which rendered it otherwise unservicable.

Todd, thanks for the photo link.

Paul B

From: "Schuyler Larrabee" <schuyler.larrabee_@_verizon.net>
Subject: RE: (erielack) The Norwich Engine

Paul, I doubt the Norwich ramp was an 85' car, much more likely a 40' flat which had had a brief
career as a TOFC flat.  I have an >>extremely<< vague memory of seeing this, back before I knew how
to look at stuff.

> Later, when 89' flats became predominant in 
> intermodal service, they started doing this with the older 
> 85-footers.

From: "Todd Stearns" <toddsyr_@_twcny.rr.com>
Subject: Re: (erielack) The Norwich Engine

I've been trying to find where I saw a photo of the Norwich TOFC ramp on the
web. I finally found it again at    www.fallenflags.org     a great website
for photos of more railroads than I care to count. The Doug Ellison photo
can be found directly with this link:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/bldg/el-noryd-ade.jpg

It appears to me to be a forty foot flat, but not sure. Sorry it's not a
better view, but it's all I've found so far. Todd
 


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