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rlkitterman — The First Cowcatcher
Published: 2013-02-09 04:51:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 1377; Favourites: 25; Downloads: 13
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Description
The first cowcatcher was designed by Isaac Dripps for John Bull, the first engine of the Camden and Amboy Railroad of New Jersey, which was imported from England in 1831. Unlike British railways, which were fenced off, American railroads went through open country, and the management wanted a way to prevent errant cows and other animals from damaging the trains. The cowcatcher acts as a plow, deflecting the animal off to the side. Imagine how different things would be if the British locomotives had also used cowcatchers....Related content
Comments: 13
Looking this reminds me of the old Railway Stories I used to read 
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You know Toby in the Thomas stories, he had them. Well I've seen old photos of steam trams when we were on the north Norfolk railway and they had cow catchers. They really did exist.
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Actually, Thomas had a cow catcher too for one episode, back when Ringo was Mr. Conductor. Big ugly blue thing, Thomas hated it.
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I thought that was a snow plough
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Dang, I think you're right. Why the heck did it have ribs?
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I was referring more to the main-line engines not having cowcatchers in the UK. I do remember seeing cowcatchers on Toby and Mavis, as both worked on tramways.
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Now had they been real clever, the catcher would of scouped up, butchered and minced, fed through boiler fire and served burgers in the restaurant car!
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Gives a whole new meaning to "meals on wheels"!
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How would things have been different?
Nice pic btw ^_^
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Imagine Flying Scotsman or King George V or all these other British engines with cowcatchers. I think it would look a bit weird because of what we are used to each country's engines looking like.
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