In later-days passenger service, were diaphrams used between all cars, including the head-end equipment, coaches only, or none at all? Glenn in Tulsa
You'll need to dig up an AAR Book of Interchange Rules, but as I recall, working diaphragms and top/side curtains were required for interchange.
To the best of my knowledge, diaphrams were used on all passenger-carrying cars other than those rare ones that were limited to mixed-train service and certain commuter cars. On the Frisco, for many years most baggage cars had the buffers and striker plate, but rather than an actual canvas diaphram they had two or three chains on each side between the carbody and the striker plate. If you go to the Green County Library site there are some good photos under Baggage Cars and under Headend Cars that show this (an exception is the baggage car that was painted red and silver for use on the Meteor). Gordon
Gordon - thanks for pointing this out. I'd never noticed it before. This is a nifty little detail that (presumably) would not take a lot to model with a little sheet styrene and scale chain. Does anyone have a closer view of the ends of any of these cars? Best Regards,
