This is the FIRST time I have ever seen standard heavyweight passenger cars with "streamlined" lower skirts. A bit odd, but looks good.
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Splendid !
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| Posted by on November 21, 2014 | |
Thanks, Mauro. With all the steel bridge superstructure below, do the suspension cables really add anything to the bridge integrity? Just wondering.... Nice photo.
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Rich, adding to your comments, these 1930’s “heavyweights” were in active service until early 00’. In the mid 90’ they were given skirts in an ill-fated attempt to modernize them and blend them in with the rest of the 1960’s/70’s fleet of cars. We have suggested to the museum that they should try and restore these magnificent American and German built cars to the former glory, sans the skirts.
Steve, the “added” suspension “cables” (they are actually flat steel) were installed in the 50’s/60’s so as to reinforce the original 1890’s box girder bridges so as to allow for heavier trains. This has given the southern railway quite a unique bridge infrastructure, as each case was dealt with individually. See for example the bridge in photograph http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=507696, where the strengthening was added below.
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Thank you all for your comments and questions, and thank Derek for responding, excellent information, I have nothing more to add. Greetings from Santiago of Chile.
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