Northern Dvision Bridges and Buildings (B&B) Manual

I have just finished scanning all 997 pages of the Frisco Northern Division Bridges and Buildings Manual.

It fits on one 4.9 GB DVD. If any one would like a copy of the manual, I will snail mail it to you Postage Paid for $10.00 to cover my cost. I do not have the B&B manuals for any of the other divisions.

A question, PB Tower is listed as having 40 windows. That must be a mistake. I can come up with a little over half that number.

Anyone know the correct number of windows for the interlocking tower at Paola, KS?

Richard E. Napper, MMR
7244 NW US Highway 24
Topeka, KS 66618-5605
renapper@centurylink.net

 

What does this manual contain?

Are there drawings of each location, etc.

Hate to sound dumb, but have never seen one.

Thanks,

Tony

 

It's a one of a kind, hand drawn B&B inventory that I believe dates to the early 1900's or 1910's that Alan copied without my consent.

Just one more reason why I hold Alan in low regard.

 

Karl,

I'm not trying to make anyone mad, I just want to share this information with anyone that would be interested in it.

I got the manual from Alan at the old Frisco Museum many years ago. The manual has no title page or any indication of a name or date of who may have written it.

I can only assume it was a supervisor who worked from the Frisco B&B department.

 

Richard,

I have no beef with you.

Alan "commercialized" a document for which he had no authority.

The document was kept current at least through the the mid-1950s, and it contains a wealth of information about everything B&B on the Northern Division. It is drawn in pencil, and the original lettering is in the same hand. I suspect it was compiled by the B&B Foreman.

The information is easily worth 4 times Richard's price.

 

I was wondering if there is anyway to still get a copy of the "Northern Division Bridge and Building (B&B) Book"?

It would help me a lot on my research of Kansas railroads and facilities for a project I am working on to donate to the Colorado Railroad Museum Library where I volunteer.

Thank you.

 

Yes, Alan took our lives and sold it to the highest bidder.

I really laid into him at a show in Kansas City one time. He's pretty low on the food chain.

But, the rest of the story, lots of old head railroad men kept personal notes on their territories. It was kind of like their children. Both track and bridge that I am a wear of, made little notes on different items on the track. Some very detailed.

At least some Engineers, as they run the territory, also made notes on throttle and air settings as they made their trips.

They kept these books and notes on track real close to them. Most of these would not be understood by someone not of a railroad mind, like shimming a curve, for rail laid cold. Some might pick up on some of the notes and some might not be understood by anyone, other than the person making the entry.

This reminds me of a story. As a young roadmaster trying to make it in Denver Yard, I had the privilege of having one of the most respected Chief Engineers want to walk track with me one time. We looked at switches and curves and rail and tie wear. He baffled me several times with his discussion and was way over my head.

After lunch he told me he wanted to look at some tight curves that he had not seen in several years. We were walking and he looked over at the track some distance away and said, "how's that 1965 Nippon rail holding out?" I said "well it looks okay" , like a stupid kid.

He said "Hey, take a look, I believe that's June 65 rail." Sure as hell it was. I was really beside myself feeling really stupid. I made it a point to go and look at every curve on my territory, but to my failure I could not remember one from the next. He must have been the smartest man I had ever seen, I was in the presence of greatness.

Months later when talking with my boss, he said yes he's really sharp, at 60 I can't even hold a candle to him. But he said it helps if you pick one curve on each territory and write it down, then look at it the day before you go out on the trip.

Well that's a young man's story.

 

Just for clarification, I own the original B&B Inventory, and lent it to Alan at the Frisco Museum.

He copied it and sold copies against my specific instructions not to do so.

I am not a fan either.

 

This is the sort of item that I have a interest in.

Is it still possible to obtain this item be it on DVD or USB flash drive?

Being in Australia I doubt many others would have a interest in such an item as its hard enough to have the local rail historical society reproduce such items onto a flash drive.

 

Who is Alan?

GS

 

I think who ever they were upset some people about 12 years ago doing the wrong thing.

 

Alan Schmidt was the president of the now defunct Frisco Museum