Pittsburgh Rail Fan Net trivia for August 10 2006

We had a great session Thursday evening on the 146.88 repeater discussing our favorite topic that being just about anything related to moving steel wheels on steel rails. I need to look into a way to pod cast the net to preserve all of this good conversation.


First the answer to last weeks questions of which we had two.

From Craig, KB3KBH, we had this interesting question.

There is a light engine sitting in the yard. What seven steps are required to move it forward?

Answer:

Here are at least seven steps required to move the engine the are not all inclusive.

1 Move the reversing leaver to forward

2 Release the brakes

3 Turn on the crossing bell

4 Light the head lamp

5 Sound two short blasts on the whistle

6 Depress the dead man peddle

7 Move the throttle to notch one

Our second question this week came from Art, WA3BKD, and was also interesting and news to me.

During the 1960s and 1970s there were special box cars designed. They had four trucks two on each end and were kept moving all over the country on a continuous basis. While a large number of them were envisioned in the original plan only two of the were ever built. What were they for?

Answer:

These boxcars carried ballistic missiles and were part of the Department of Defense plan in case of a nuclear attack from the now defunct USSR. You just have to wonder if they go the idea from Lionel!

That is all for this week from the rail fan net. I hope to hear all of you again next Thursday evening on the North Hills Amateur Radio Club's 146.880 mHz repeater at 09:30 PM local time. Remember if you can't check in or if you are listening on a scanner and would like to participate you can send question or comments to railfannet@hotmail.com.