Folks, I forget the issue, but I remember seeing an article in an old B&O Modeler on the B&O's use of trackside water sprayers. As I recall, the sprayer was a vertical standpipe off the side of the right of way, with two spigots pointing upward and toward the track centerline. The two spigots were arranged similar to how a dual train-order stand might be arranged. The stated purpose of these was to spray water on passing stock cars, in order to keep the livestock from overheating. This seems like an item that would have been well suited for the heat and humidity of Frisco territory, but I don't recall seeing anything of the sort, either in pictures or in old Frisco magazines. Any thoughts? Best Regards,
There was some sort of advertisement listed on e-bay for a trackside hog sprayer, I think, for the Frisco. The seller was really proud of that single page advertisement.
The B&O Modeler issue with pictures that Chris mentioned is Volume 4, Number 5, September-October 2008, page 14. The article notes that the B&O had 32 such "livestock showers" across their system, located at locomotive fuel & water servicing locations. The thing sprayed water between the slats of the livestock cars to cool down the critters in hot weather. Ken
Okay, the advertisement is back up on e-bay. It was for hog washing on the Frisco, but they used a spigot attached to existing water tanks. They couldn't cool off the hogs directly, they had to first water down the bedding and then direct water to the underside of the roof and let that drip down. Otherwise the cold water would shock the hogs to their detriment. Railway Age Vol 58, No. 14, page 752.
Thanks for the info and for the reference, Bob. It sounds like a device that wouldn't necessarily allow cooling "on the fly" similar to the B&O contraption. I've always found livestock shipments by rail to be a very interesting facet of railroad operations, and am sorry that I never got to witness it all first-hand. Best Regards,
