by John P.
Noel Weaver wrote: I went through timetables from both 1955 and 1958 and all I could findDo you think the hammering of the steam locomotives could have been a factor in weight restrictions?
for restrictions was cars weighing over 210,000 lbs without permission
from the superintendent. I would think this could also apply to engines
until it occurs to me that RS-3's among others which were in common
use on the Put weighed more than 210,000 lbs. There was no
restriction pertaining to multiple use of diesels either.
During the period of the two above timetables, the Croton Lake Bridg had
a 15 MPH restriction for all engines and maybe that covered it.
I am not a bridge expert but I know there were a lot of cases when
steam was replaced on some railroads bridges that had a major
restriction on steam engines had no restrictions on diesels. Likewise, in
a few cases, some railroads had rather small steam engines that remained
in operation for a longer time than one would think because it was
difficult to get a decent diesel unit small enough to replace them.
In some cases a railroad could also have an unofficial restriction, it did
not appear in the timetable but they still had one and they would not
exceed it.
I recall in the Penn Central days of the early 1970's, they did not operate
six motor engines on the Beacon Branch between Hopewell Junction and
Beacon after a few trips with them, they simply decided that they were
too heavy for the line. They also had a restriction on the River Line
from at least 1973 for a period when there were no six motor engines on
that line either. Eventually both restrictions were lifted but nothing ever
appeared in the timetable about either one of them.
Noel Weaver