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RE: (erielack) CWR

From Ron Dukarm:
 
> Paul, Rich and List,
> 
> I think Rich is right, the cars probably went off line to 
> pick up the CWR and that required interchange numbers on the cars.

I agree that's likely.  Not many places to get it on-line.
 
> I've always read that CWR came in quarter-mile lengths. If 
> so, that would require about 25 gons to transport lengths 
> that long. It would seem that a train that long and unique 
> would have drawn the lens of railfans. Between the cars being 
> parked, stored, transporting and unloading the CWR, it just 
> seems some photos of these should have surfaced on the web, 
> in Morning Sun, etc.

Yes, except that it didn't happen very often, at least on the EL.  I don't think it's a regular
occurrence on other roads, even today.  I mean, rail does last quite a while.

> That begs the question: was all CWR sold/made in quarter mile 
> lengths? Were sorter lengths ever made/sold/used?

Ever?  Certainly, the answer to that is yes.  I've seen lengths on the MBTA Green Line that are
shorter.  And they've laid CWR in the tunnels, so it MUST be available shorter.  OTOH, it's easy to
cut something shorter, so maybe they get it to the Boston area in 1250' lengths, and cut it down.
Much easier to cut something shorter than it is to cut something longer.  8^)

> If the EL did not install much CWR, perhaps this was a 
> one-time train, quickly put together to transport a load of 
> CWR, and then returned to revenue use. 

That makes a great deal of sense to me.

That also begs the 
> question: what other modifications had to be made to these 
> cars besides the installation of racks? (In WWII when the 
> Erie transported long lengths of anti-sub cables, the gons 
> had to be chained together in case of a knuckle breaking)

I don't think much would be required in terms of mods to the cars, but chaining them together or
something similar does seem like a desireable idea.

SGL


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