[Greg Vocks]

This is an interesting article from Nov.11,1891 about whether to change to the new automatic couplers, and what type. The alleged position of the trainmen surprised me:
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F0CE0D6123AE533A25752C1A9679D94609ED7CF

 

[East Broad Top]

Hmm, the brakemen were complaining that the large number of somewhat incompatible couplers makes their life difficult...

That's got a vaguely familiar ring to it...

Later,

K

 

[cephius]

Greg,

Thanks for the historic perspective. Change is always resisted.

Dave

 

[Great Western]

It usually takes a crisis to get things changed quickly.

This reminds me of the UK fire departments, usually township controlled, prior to WW2. During the blitz (concentrated bombing) of UK cities and towns it was found that much of the equipment on many fire trucks was incompatible with other trucks. This immediately brought in a UK standardization of equipment which survives today.

The railroads also kept a special cars (similar to a 20ft. boxcar) with firefighting equipment in many strategic places on the railroad. I'm sure they were painted red.

 

[Chris France]

I agree that it was just resistance to change. Remember that once the RRs were forced to convert to automatic couplers they found benefits including being able to get more done with the same amount of crew members=less crew members needed total. Could be that the crews also saw that aspect coming and therefore resisted. As someone who regularly has to switch equipment with link and pin at the B&O museum I don't understand their resistance. Using those darn things scares the **** out of me, even more so when I'm running the engine knowing what a quick slip of my hand could do to my conductor.