It was a Santa Fe thing. They were added late in life on the F units. There were also two on the B ends.
Thanks for both replies. The pictures I've seen of lifted covered wagons showed a straddle crane rigged to lifting pads on the shell sides.
I guess in later years, aesthetics gave way to practicality and the big lifting lugs were added to make life easier on the shop crews. The SP also added them but mounted them lower on the nose right above the anti-climber. There were probably a few other railroads also but I don't know which ones.
A Santa Fe F-Unit quartet at Denver in the early 1970s (Bob Jordan) (Mr. Jordan had the foresight to photograph all four units individually, of which 203L I already posted, the other three will eventually follow) Santa Fe F7A 262L (the A-Unit on the other end of the quartet), Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Santa Fe F7B 341A (one of the two B-Units in the quartet), built 1953, Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan) Santa Fe F7B 209A (the other B-Unit in the quartet), Built 1949, Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Southern SD35 3018, Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan) CNO&TP SD24 6315, Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Cannot recall ever hearing of them in that area, back then. Wondering what was the reason. Trading off hours? En route to a new owner? Or?.
A trio of SP SD45s follow a UP unit as the set roll into Cheyenne in the early 1970s (Bob Jordan) SP SD45 9014, Cheyenne, WY, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
SP SD45 9019, Cheyenne, WY, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) SP SD45 9106, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Amtrak Coach 4499, ex-Santa Fe 2893, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) Amtrak Coach 4522, ex-Santa Fe 2917, Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
Possibly grease or oil, maybe, but that I am not sure. Amtrak Slumbercoach 2030 "Loch Lochy", ex-NP, nee-B&O "Thriftland", Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan) Amtrak Coach 4502, ex-Santa Fe 2896, Denver, CO, 1972 (Bob Jordan)
Modern era roller bearing cars. If carrying any markers, they would be electric. Nothing to do with any heating or cooling. Maybe some other equipment had been there before...?
Could be some sort of bucket grease pump. There are plugs where you could inject grease. We just pull the cover plate and mash grease in by hand. I found this while doing a search. Not the same but....
One of the Amtrak, former Santa Fe, coaches numbered in the 45xx series, Denver, CO, 1972 (Bob Jordan) SP 3/4 Dome-Lounge 3605 (only on lease to Amtrak at the time of this photo), Denver, CO, 1972 (Bob Jordan)
Amtrak 11 DBR 2254 "Star Scene", Denver, CO, 1972 (Bob Jordan) CB&Q Sleeper 452 "Silver Thrush", Denver, CO, eearly 1970s (Bob Jordan)
