In the earliest hump yards, before retarders came into use, switchmen rode each car controlling its speed down the hump with the handbrake. In the event of runaways, track skates were placed on the appropriate classification track as an emergency brake of sorts.
Are there any hump yards where track skates are still used to stop runaways?
I believe the FRA has outlawed skates.
LC
Needless to say, when I saw the title of this thread, my reaction was to think of a skate what would allow people to skate down a rail. [;)]
I even found a picture of someone who left their skates by the track
But the real find was a company that sells track skates. Their ad says (in part):
“Rails/Trasco Track Skates are long-lasting lightweight units that are widely used in hump yards and industrial sidings to slow and stop a moving car or to hold a car steady on a flat or moderately downgrade track.”
Track skates stop runaways! Umm…I think not. I’ve seen plently of cars roll right over skates. Skates work best when they were wedged in against the wheel. Given enough speed, the wedge becomes a ramp, and you have airbourn cars. Been there. Done that. Have the T-Shirt.
There are a still a few locations here, where hand brakes can’t be trusted, (those darn kids), that use skates. The car is actually rolled up in the skate, and the weight of the car holds the skate and there for the car inplace.
Nick