Thursday, November 09, 2006

Sells-Floto train at the crossing 1930 #1


These flat cars, having just arrived, are being shuttled to their designated unloading point, called the "crossing". This means a point where the railroad tracks cross a thouroghfare that enables the wagons to be unloaded onto a smooth surface.
The train will be divided into several sections so that wagons can be unloaded simultaneously, reducing the unloading time. These men, having been rousted out of bed, will "ride the flats" so they will be immediately on hand when each section is spotted at it's crossing.

Posted by Buckles at 11/09/2006 06:45:00 AM

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

When the police department brought me a Pot Belly Pig a couple of years ago. "WALTER" he would not get out of the back seat of the patrol car until they moved the car to the entrance of the driveway that had a concret surface. Think we did not have fun "cop/pig" with that one. I have ramps for my elderly pets and used one to reload "WALTER" months later when he went to the Pig Sanctuary. Does any one ever train Pigs for the ring now.? They used to be a real crowd pleaser.

09 November, 2006 09:17
Anonymous said...

Just about the time John Ringling bought ACC including Sells Floto and Zack Terrel would remain as manager.

09 November, 2006 09:24
Anonymous said...

This is an exelent series of photos that say so much in so many ways to one who knows or has experienced a lifestyle that requires Packing & Unpacking Frequently , especialy when it's done well . I've always found it fasinating to see how a variety of odd shaped & sized objects get assembled & transported safely .

09 November, 2006 09:26
Anonymous said...

The twenty four hour man would advise the trainmaster that the train would have to be made up, poles to the caboose or poles to the engine, so when it backed into the crossing it would be in the right direction for unloading. That knowledge saved alot of headaches you can be sure.

09 November, 2006 10:03
Anonymous said...

Hi, an off topic request for info: Went to the L.E. Barnes and Bailey last night...was oddly reminiscent of the "Great Circus of China" of a few years back...although it was vejhementkly denied by all employees (it was the "Deluxiana Peanut" sales pitch that got me...that and the fact the elephant was "Queenie." Does anyone have any information on "Queenie"...her history here in America?

09 November, 2006 10:51
Anonymous said...

P.S. Sorry for the typos...and is it the same outfit under a new name?

09 November, 2006 10:53
Anonymous said...

My father was a trainmaster for the PRR and I used to go with him to the junction where the PRR handed off the RBBB train, it was always just about dawn. I'll still remember seeing the train crew "sleeping on the flats" and thinking what a wonderful life it must be to travel and live that way. My father would always comment that I slept in a warm bed and these guys had no bed. Stout hearted men they were, indeed!

09 November, 2006 11:17
Anonymous said...

"Poles to Engine" , "Poles to Caboose".... so that's where the term comes from.

All this time I thought it was some computer geek talk!

09 November, 2006 12:24
Anonymous said...

Did you not notice this on JIMS BLOG? I thought the same as you at first until Buckles explained. You just never always know what JIM is talking about unless you know JIM. Very entertaining. I will be expecting a great crack about this comment! George, Eloise and my dad both worked for the railroad.

09 November, 2006 12:46
Anonymous said...

Whitey, I never would have know that if not for your comment!!It never crossed my mind. And I am no spring chicken. Learn something every day. I thought the wagon things were called tongues. Thanks.

09 November, 2006 18:36
Anonymous said...

Rebecca, Don't you dare refer to a wagon pole as a tongue. That is like in the army referring to your rifle as a gun.

09 November, 2006 23:02
Anonymous said...

I must confess to being the anonymous in referring to the poles to engine or caboose,etc. To explain that the guy that would steer the pole up the runs was known as the "poler" and yes they were "runs" not ramps. The Poler had the most dangerous job on the train crew. The train crew would pull the runs off the end of the run car [flat] and being quite heavy would fall flat on the ground. At which time the crew would get all around the run and reach down to pick it up and place one end on the flat. To get them all lifting together yhe trainmaster [boss] would say. "raise your backs boys", so the train crew were known as "Razorbacks". That oval shaped piece of iron on the end of the pole was the "goose neck" and the body pole, double trees and lead bars would hook on to it, depending on if it waould br pulled by a four, six or eight horse hitch known as Baggage horses or Baggage Stock. The Snubbing Rope was the main device used to unload the wagons and it wrapped around that Jumbo size thimble that hooked to the side of the run car, and was known as the snubbing post. A hook rope was used to hook on to a corner ring on the wagon to whatever would be pulling it on the ground along side the flats and going from flat to flat over cross over plates. When being loaded each wagon was secured to the flat with "chalk Blocks".

09 November, 2006 23:40
Anonymous said...

Rebecca - what job(s?) did Eloise do with the railroad? Do you have any idea of the time frame? Many thnks.

10 November, 2006 01:23
Anonymous said...

look at the next picture. Our mighty leader has "tongue" right there in print. Who questions the master? I do know what a "CHALK BLOCK" is as I use this type item a lot here at the kennel. Used many on the mud show too.

10 November, 2006 08:04
Anonymous said...

I thought I said Eloises and my dad both worked on the railroad. Not Eloise. If she ran the railroad it would not be in bad shape.

10 November, 2006 08:08
Anonymous said...

Another outstanding set of photos from a great era in circus history

10 November, 2006 09:19
Anonymous said...

these photos with accompanying comments again confirm that this blogsit is one of the best learning mediums of circus history of our time.
thanks again, Buckles and Shannon

10 November, 2006 13:01
Anonymous said...

GEESH!! Its a STICK

10 November, 2006 16:34
Down the Road by Jim said...

A polish wagon ???

10 November, 2006 20:53
Anonymous said...

there seems to be a difference between a "POLE WAGON" and a "WAGON POLE"

12 November, 2006 09:28

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