• NH test cars

  • Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
Discussion relating to the NH and its subsidiaries (NYW&B, Union Freight Railroad, Connecticut Company, steamship lines, etc.). up until its 1969 inclusion into the Penn Central merger. This forum is also for the discussion of efforts to preserve former New Haven equipment, artifacts and its history. You may also wish to visit www.nhrhta.org for more information.
  by chnhrr
 
This question could be addressed to other railroad forums, but how did these scale cars work? What is the hatch for on the on the side of the unit shown. Did ACF make these cars?
  by DutchRailnut
 
The hatch was to add or remove weight to compensarte for wear on wheels.
The scale test cars were weight and corrected on a tested scale.
The car would then be send to a place with a railroad scale to test the scale.
The cars did not have brakes (other than hand brake) cause brake use would alter weight.
the Brake pipe just feeds straight through to other end.
Company instructions always dictated to handle the car NOT as last car in train, but to have car with functioning brake behind it.
  by chnhrr
 
Thanks (dank U wel) DutchRailnut. I was wondering if that was a handbrake or a wheel for leveling adjustment. Did they have calibrated metal weights to insert into the hatchway?
  by DutchRailnut
 
Alstublieft, I believe they used any kind of scrap metal, the hatches were locked and sealed once car was calibrated.