Interesting catch. I guess I never gave the process any thought. Thank you for the enlightenment.
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A couple of questions: 1. This would be the diesel end, slipping over that locomotives coupler. What does the other end look like, the part that attaches to 4449? 2. When you say found, was it stored in 4449 during its stay in the Portland park after SP service?
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Dennis - Fair questions! I believe, based upon the shape, that one AAR knuckle coupler can be coupled to this "coupler" that was, from appearances, cut out of sheet metal. Only one knuckle needs to operate to make a joint, or to uncouple. The other end just slips into the normal drawbar connection - and shame on me for not photographing that end better. As for my choice of words with "found"? I meant that this was on the locomotive when I visited the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Perhaps "spotted" or "discovered" would have been a better choice than "found." I suspect it was fabricated by Doyle McCormack and his crew at some point.
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