Could it be the lifting smokestack extension that many narrow gauge locmotives had to prevent fires set by sparks?
daveklepperCould it be the lifting smokestack extension that many narrow gauge locmotives had to prevent fires set by sparks?
No, this is something much more momentous, and everyone on this list will consider it unusual.
Were they the tank articulateds, possibly simple or possibly Mallets, of the Uintah railroad that were later sold to Rayoner or Sumter Valley and made tender locomotives?
As far as I know, they were the only articulated rod NG locomotives in North America, and also among the most modern of NGs.
daveklepperWere they the tank articulateds, possibly simple or possibly Mallets, of the Uintah railroad that were later sold to Rayonier or Sumpter Valley and made tender locomotives?
No.
The engine in question was built by Alco, not Baldwin. It was also interesting for lacking a piece of equipment we would now view as essential, even though that equipment was applied to locomotives of very similar size provided to the same road by the same builder at the same time.
While we're waiting -- who's the only railfan to have a train named after him?
Is this a commuter authority operated train?
Answering that would give it away. But yes, trains run by commuter agencies would count. (Even if Dashing Dan is not a real person!)
Well, the answer is a regular METRA train named after a regular Chicago-area commuter who was popular with both crew and fellow passengers, but I do not remember the name. This will help someone in the Chicago area to come up with the name and be the winner.
That is interesting because you're batting .000 with the details I heard. Remember we are talking about a RAILFAN -- the train being named after him because he was a railfan. You would certainly recognize the railfan's name.
OK, sorry. Was or is there a train named Frimbo or Rogers Wittiker?
daveklepperOK, sorry. Was or is there a train named Frimbo or Rogers Wittiker?
There certainly should have been! But no. You are in the right geographical area, though on the wrong side of the bridge. Or rather, tunnel or ferry, depending on your preference.
Was Nelly Bly a railfan? (Ooops,sorry, not a he!) Or John Wilkes? Or Asa Packer?
daveklepperWas Nelly Bly a railfan? (Ooops,sorry, not a he!) Or John Wilkes? Or Asa Packer?
None of them in the sense of the question. We're talking someone famous for BEING a railfan. One of the known names. Not a trick or surprise.
Did he have any other connection to the Industry? As a member of Congress or the Senate with legislation? Or a newpaper or magazine reporter or editor?
Of course I am thinking of Rhode Island Senator Pell.
If I remember correctly, he sold insurance.
His son has the same name as he did.
Is his son Alexander Hamilton IV?
As a hint: alliteration plays a prominent part. And the train has its own four-page thread on railroad.net.
Final hints (before I unlock this and give someone else 'the question')
It involves the letter T.
With respect to the other question -- the 'controversy' involves the running gear, specifically the drivers. The 'piece of equipment' that is missing from this one but not all her near-sisters involves steam distribution, in a way.
Before giving up, give us a few more hints. Was the missing piece of equipment the drifting valves on the cylinders? Was the wheel arrangement the same as the similarly sized locomotives also built by Alco for the same narrow-gauge operation of the same raiklroad. Or were the similarly-sized locomotives standard gauge?
What kind of equpment did the train named after a railfan have? Sleepers and a diner or parlors? Was it a single-road train or a through train over two or more railroads? Was it an overnighter or a day train?
daveklepperBefore giving up, give us a few more hints.
Gladly! The wheel arrangement was exactly the same; in fact, I think most of the dimensions were the same. The 'missing piece' was not drifting valves, it was something much more obvious than that (something almost inconceivable, to me, that would be left off this locomotive when her sisters were so equipped).
The 'difference' that is the original principal question's answer is something so strange that I can't believe no one has caught it... Again, it has to do with the running gear, specifically associated with drivers.
I already gave a big hint along this line with an excessively 'cagy' reply to a previous request for a hint. I will now essentially give it away, as the answer will be obvious in a relatively short number of steps: it was a commuter train. (Don't anyone get hurt racing for the keyboard!)
well, was the Dan of Dashing Dan of LIRR fame a railfan? If so, what was his last name?
Going back to the narrow gauge locomotive, superheat?
daveklepperwell, was the Dan of Dashing Dan of LIRR fame a railfan? If so, what was his last name?
I thought I'd specifically ruled him out by name. (And Dan is about as far from being a 'railfan' as anyone can be ... he's probably on the train by necessity, not appreciation...)
Yes, superheat is the missing feature. But that is not the big, big thing that makes the difference so striking.
Could there possibly have been a narrow-gauge camelback?
I seem to remember a 4'1" gauge camelback on one of the copper range lines of the Michigan upper penninsula. But as to the question at hand, I'm stumped! Was this engine built without counterweights on the drivers?
rfpjohnWas this engine built without counterweights on the drivers?
No, it had normal counterweighting, and no, it was not a Camelback.
The special 'feature' was the same as a method proposed to reduce a perceived problem in duplex-drive locomotive design many years later.
Did it use a steam cylinder to push down on one or more of the axles to transfer weight? Baldwin did this with some 4-2-0's in the 1840s.
rcdryeDid it use a steam cylinder to push down on one or more of the axles to transfer weight? Baldwin did this with some 4-2-0's in the 1840s.
No, nor was there anything unusual about the suspension or equalization.
As a hint: the 'feature' is one way to adjust a compound's expansion ratio.
Wht? Were there three-cylinder narrow-gauge locomotives? Or four-cylinder non-articulateds?
I thought the Uintah-Sumter Valley locos were the only North American rod articulateds.
daveklepperWhat? Were there three-cylinder narrow-gauge locomotives? Or four-cylinder non-articulateds?
In fact, I can name you a three-cylinder narrow-gauge locomotive, in fact an articulated six-cylinder articulated locomotive, as well as a whole passel of four-cylinder non-articulateds. All from the same country! (Not quite the same one that ran the eight-cylinder articulateds, but associated with it, usually via a hyphenated expression, in popular American terminology ...)
Where did I say the locomotive in question RAN in North America? I only said it was built there (by Alco).
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