The Case of the Contrary Coupler

No one around John Sevier Yard had any doubts about what ailed the contrary couplers. Closing when they should remain open, coupler knuckles were slowing the work of yard crews making up trains from cuts of cars in the classification yard.

C. E. Galbraith, car inspector, places a Celotex wedge in the forward coupler as a car rolls up to the hump at John Sevier Yard.

To reduce Knoxville's problem to the simplest terms, consider this three-car example. With a hopper car already standing in a classification track, a box car released at the hump rolls down into the same classification track. Slowed a little too much in the retarder, it hasn't the momentum to roll all the way to the hopper car and couple. Then a gondola car rolls off the hump into the same classification track and couples to the box car. The slight impact causes the forward coupler knuckle of the box car to partially close.

When a yard engine gives the cut of cars the customary forward shove to make all the couplings before pulling cars to the forwarding yard, the partially closed coupler of the box car will not engage the coupler of the car next to it. One of the yard crew has to walk the track to make the coupling by hand.

One such case wastes only a minute or two, and causes only a little extra trouble. Multiplying it by hundreds, you reveal the "case of the contrary couplers" in its true light as a full-fledged problem in a yard carefully designed to speed the movement of freight cars.

A closeup view of the coupler shows how the guide holds the air gun in position.

Operating men had to come to grips with the problem, not only for the benefit of current operations at John Sevier but for the other retarder yards on the Southern still in the planning or bui)ding stage. Apparently, the answer would have to be something that would hold the coupler knuckle open until the actual moment of contact with another coupler, yet would not hinder the coupling of the cars in any way.

D. W. Brosnan, vice-president (Operation) , was then general manager at Knoxville-a frequent visitor to the yard and a close observer of its operations. He suggested a small peg to hold the coupler open and a long handled gun to be used to insert the peg as cars were shoved up to the hump. .

Following his design and under his direction, John Sevier shop turned out two light aluminum guns, one with a spring-powered piston and the other using compressed air to drive in the triangular peg and a guide designed to the exact inner dimensions of a standard coupler to ensure the proper placement of the peg every time.

With the peg in place, the coupler knuckle is held "open as the car rolls off the hump

Experiments with different kinds of pegs resulted in the choice of half-inch-thick Celotex which proved to be the most satisfactory material. Thick enough and firm enough to hold a coupler open, it could be crumbled between a man's fingers and was easily crushed when couplers came together.

In use the compressed air gun proved to be the better device. Two trigger buttons on the handle one to fire the piston and the other to re-cock it make the gun convenient to use (though it has to be reloaded with a peg before each "shot") . Its light weight makes for easy handling. Its long handle permits the car inspector to insert the wedge in the coupler while standing in the clear of the car and without danger to himself.

A new building constructed near the crest of the hump provides a base of operation for car inspectors who "peg" couplers and a place to store supplies of pegs. An overhead frame beside the rack holds the compressed air tank and the movable slings that support the air hose. This gives the operator the mobility he needs to "peg" couplers, a convenient place to keep the extra gun he has in case one fails, and a rack on which to hang his gun when it is not in use.

Thus was a real problem licked and car handling speeded for better service. A patent has been applied for on the ingenious device that solved "the case of the contrary couplers."

And down to the retarder yard where it is automatically switched into a classification track. When the couplers of two cars come together, the Celotex peg (note the speck of white between the two couplers) is crushed.