I bought this pail for a couple bucks at a farm auction last fall. It is about 12 inches tall and is stamped CMSTP&PRR. I bought it because it looked interesting and my mother's family had a history of working for the railroads (Great Northern & Soo Line). Unfortunately they are all gone now so I cannot ask them what this pail was used for. Can anyone here tell me? Thank you.
Good question. It does not initially seem like anything used for engine or loco lubrication. Boxcab E50
Could be. I thought of that, but it at only twelve inches in height, seems pretty small. Would take a lot of trips to fill a sand dome, hopper, etc. Boxcab E50
If you've ever watched a manual sanding done, you'd see what I mean. A pail that small would be torture. It's bad enough when two men are doing the work, passing filled buckets up, tossing down the empty. But at many places there'd be just one man- Climbing up and down, up and down. Most of what I saw was stuff in the size range of a five gallon bucket. At only twelve inches tall, this is way smaller. Boxcab E50
A five gallon bucket full of sand would probably weigh close to a hundred pounds.... that would be torture.
Dry sand, they weigh about sixty-seventy pounds- Depending upon how full. I use these as weight and for emergency traction in my vehicle every winter. Like I said, I've watched it being done, up and down steps or a ladder.... Boxcab E50
Yea, Boxcab, maybe your right. That is a little small. When did the RR start using silica instead of sand? Either way, it's a cool find! If you ever wanna' sell it, remember me! :teeth:
Somewhere around here, I still have a MILW shovel- A scoop from a sand house. I should look for that darned thing. Boxcab E50
Sanding bucket. I never came across that when googling. Is that for the passengers so they don't slip, or the train itself? I have a lot to learn about trains. Can I eliminate fire bucket? Thanks for all of your help.
Ok. At a stated twelve inches tall, this is just an inch taller than the one gallon Tupperware juice pitcher in my refigerator. Albeit a tapered shape. So that is a rough idea of actual size, for anyone who has not developed a mental picture. Meanwhile, I have contacted a bunch of my retired rails network people. These are men whom many worked in steam and electric days, hostling, servicing, in shops and even in steam engine service. So far, every one who has looked at the photos has said "no." And it's way too small for anything sand related. I just got off the phone with an eighty year old GN man, who also collects a bit of Railroadiana- His response: "Hell no. That ain't what it was for." He said they'd used something with a similar shaped lip for pouring such as journal oil, when refilling after re-brassing. I have now talked with or swapped emails with experienced career RR men up to ninety three years of age. Am awaiting responses from a couple more. Including a ninety year plus of age former Milw RR shop foreman. Maybe he'll have an idea. Meanwhile, not sand- Too small. Which is what I'd said to begin with. Boxcab E50
Thanks Boxcab. I no longer have any connections in the railroad industry and was hoping that someone here would and could help me out. I have also emailed Canadian Pacific but haven't heard back from them. I guess I don't expect to. Thanks again.
Another response this morning. Retired Milw shop man: "Too small. A utility type bucket used for pouring liquids such as lubricants or kerosene." Boxcab E50
I have a video of the MILW that was made by the railroad that shows cars going over a hump somewhere, the journal doors are open on the trucks, and a guys filling them. I'll have to watch that again to see.
If just topping off journals, don't be surprised to see an even smaller vessel used than the bucket pictured. They'd usually not need to have that much added, unless packing was shot. Boxcab E50
Youre right for sand it might have been something like a pail for ashes by the wood stove, or milking cows? Maybe with a slight lip? Or am I completely thinking wrong?
