Ed, My point was to do away with all the rigidity. Model railroading is supposed to be fun! It’s clear (to me at least) that none of these terms(running boards; roofwalks; turnout; switch) are universal, and that they all had their origins on prototype railroads, not just from model railroaders’ imaginations.
Just to add more confusion to the topic, in case not everyone is bored to death by now, here is my conversation with a couple real railroaders: From: Roger Nulton <[email protected]> Subject: [MONON] "Running Boards" Vs. "roofwalks" To: [email protected] Date: Monday, November 29, 2010, 12:39 AM What did the Monon workers call those things on the top of boxcars that they used to walk on? Any of your very well informed opinions would be most appreciated! Thanks, Roger Nulton Tacoma, WA From: ronald marquardt <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, November 28, 2010 11:52:30 PM Subject: Re: [MONON] "Running Boards" Vs. "roofwalks" We called them roofwalks Roger. The running boards were on the sides of locomotives (and automobiles). / Ron From: Robert Schultz <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [MONON] "Running Boards" Vs. "roofwalks" To: [email protected] Date: Monday, November 29, 2010, 2:31 AM Roger, Ron and all, Before 1940 there were no metal ROOFWALKS, only latitude and longitude WOODEN RUNNING BOARDS. When a new piece of wooden running board was replaced the repair bill also had to have the notation "and painted". After the metal boards appeared the painting was no longer required. The terminology was then roof walks and corner platforms. Bob I wondered about that Bob. All I ever heard them called was roof walks, but it makes sense that in the early days of railroading, when brakemen ran from car to car to set the hand brakes, that they could have been called running boards. / Ron Roger.... Make you a deal.... When I am in your basement, I will call them "roofwalks" and when you are in my train room you will call them "running boards". "S"ound fair? A win-win arrangement for both of us. In either location, a turnout is always a turnout and the thing that turns the lights on/off is a switch. OK? "S"miles....Ed L. Roger Nulton [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
