DW&P N-2-a loco and Coffin fwh

[doctorwayne]

I'm currently building a model of a Duluth Winnipeg & Pacific 2-8-0, and on the prototype photos which I have, the hot water feed to the top-mounted boiler check valve appears to originate from the heater unit on the fireman's side of the loco, from the fitting which, on my Coffin fwh layout diagram, is shown as the cold water inlet.  Is anybody familiar with these locos that could shed some light on this, please?  Or, does anyone know if the Coffin heater was bi-directional, at least as far as cold water inlet/ hot water outlet goes? 

The B&M Berkshires used the Coffin system, and the hot water pipe clearly shows as coming from the heater fitting on the engineer's side of the loco and going directly to a check valve on the same side of the boiler.  Immediately behind it was a second check valve, supplied by the injector.

Wayne

[don7]

A couple of 2-8-0's

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0604/dwp2461.jpg

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr1201/dl490.jpg

 

[doctorwayne]

Thanks for those pictures, Don.  Both of those locos are from the N-2-a class, which consisted of 2455 to 2464.  2455, 2457 to 2460, 2463 , and 2464 had exposed Coffin fwhs, while the balance of the class were equipped with Elescos, as in your first picture.  All were built by Alco's Brooks Works in 1916-17.

Wayne

[doctorwayne]

Obviously not a lot of interest in this topic.   However, I did find some better photos of some Central Vermont Consolidations that had a Coffin fwh and the piping arrangement was clearly similar to what I described in my first Post.  CV, like the DW&P, was a CNR-owned road, so either the Coffin company offered a fwh with the "reverse" piping, or the railroads could easily alter the standard model to suit their particular application.  At least now I can go ahead with my project when the rest of the parts arrive.

Wayne