Early Machines
Early Spreaders
The very first Jordan Spreaders were fairly crude machines.
These machines were mostly wood construction, and featured a very
large wooden structure over the chassis. This structure was used to
support the wings using a block and tackle system. These original
spreaders were just that, spreaders and they did not feature nose
blades at first. The first of these were built in various railroad
shops. It is not known how long or even how many of this type of
spreader was produced. Some later machines of this type also had front blades
but these may have been on rebuilds or such. Atleast one Spreader of this type
is preserved, and that is Canadian Pacific 402818.
Here is CP 402823 in 1967. From the John C. LaRue Jr. Collection
Knuckle Braced Spreaders
These spreaders were the first commonly used type of Jordan.
This spreader featured a mostly all steel construction, and a nose
plow. This nose plow was raised and lowered vertically for use in
spreading ballast and light snow removal. The original models featured a fixed diagonal brace, while later ones
had an air operated one. Some have called this line the Model A (not to be confused with the Type A). This line of spreaders used
air cylinders to
provide vertical movement to the nose plow, wing opening cylinders,
vertical cylinders and the diagonal braces.
Although this model had a cylinder for opening the wings,
retracting them back in had to be done manually via a chain and a
small winch. This model of spreader used a new feature, the bank
sloper. This was a movable piece on the rear end of the wing used for
making different cut angles in ditching, and spreading snow. Also
new, used in conjunction with the bank sloper was the carry wing.
This bought the bank sloper forward to a brace (mounted on front
framework on some machines, others had a brace) and was used to make
a pocket to carry fill and ballast. Two more options on this model
were the ditch casting, a steel casting made specific to a railroads
contour, that was bolted to the bottom of the wing, and the trench
digger, used in export machines for digging a small trench to lay
cable and such. Many railroads liked to customize these models with
cabs of their choice and some home built options. Later on Jordan
offered major rebuild programs for this line of spreaders. This
included new cylinder locking braces featuring a pneumatic lock, more
beefed up diagonal braces and a longer chassis, along with other new
machinery.
St. Louis, Southwestern A-24, brand new in East Chicago.
From the collection of John C. LaRue Jr.
