I have a model 12 wheel NYC coal tender, researching info I see photos of the back ladder on mine and others, I have noticed on the back ladder one of the handrails extends above the deck BUT it is a large flat rail, the other handrail si a standard pipe handrail,is there a reason for this??? wouldn’t it be hard to grasp?? what is the reason for this feature??? No one on Trains knew the answer.
Tatans–
Actually, I’ve noticed that on several prototype and model coal tenders–either one flat and one round, or simply a single flat extending above the deck. I’m wondering if it is simply to allow the fireman or brakeman a better grip while pulling himself up during inclement weather. Those round handrails can get pretty slippery, especially if you’re wearing work-gloves.
I could be mistaken in my memory, but I think the 12-wheel semi-Vanderbuilts that SP used on some of their locomotives had the same feature.
Tom
I seem to remember that on some tenders, the rear ladder only had the one riser/hand rail. The flat one, because the sides of the ladder were flat and the rungs were drilled into it and welded on, so one side was extended up for the riser/hand rail. The hand rail on the other side may have been a new feature required by some of the unions for safety purposes in later years. If this was the case, I would expect to see this feature on loco tenders that were used right up to the end of steam, and not on early engine tenders. This just conjecture on my part though. I don’t have any hard data to back me up.