Hi
It has occurred to me that I can find all sorts of models and prototype pictures of RR water tanks (towers) but I really don't have an understanding of how water gets into the tanks to begin with. I imagine there was more than one method and would like some information as to what would have been likely (at least for the pre-1955 time frame). I can see what I need to model to get the water out of the tank but don't understand what to model to get the water in to the tank.
Thanks for all input.
wdcrvr
As you stated there were probably many methods to fill the tanks. Early ones in the mountains probably had a pipe running from a spring somewhere in the hills above the tank. Pumps from windmills to electric could have filled them.
The tank need not fill rapidly, even though when dumped it emptied rapidly. Just has to refill fast enough to keep ahead of the scheduled refilling of tenders.
I have seen photos and models of some with "rooms" below the tanks where heaters kept the tanks warm enough not to freeze, could have housed a pump too. Some folks have even modeled a pump house next to their tank.
Good luck,
Richard
In terrain with enough elevation difference between the source and the tank, a pipeline would connect the two. The pipe at the tank would be controlled by a float valve, not unlike your toilet tank that would shut when the tank was filled to its normal maximum level. Elsewhere, there would be a pump house, commonly located under the tank. There could be a well under the pump house, or if could be connected to an adjacent stream.
Many areas, particularly in the SW, had hard water, which wasn't suitable for boiler feed water. In those cases, a water treatment plant building would be built next to the tank. The piping from the water treatment plant to the tank would usually be underground to protect from freezing. In summary, the feed to the tank usually came up the enclosed riser under the tank. On a model you wouldn't see it. As always, there were unusual cases different than I just described.
Before Richard came to town, Richardton was called (by the railroad) "Spring Valley"
They built a dam out in the woods, and must have had their pump house out there. Now this was clearly in the days before electricity out here, since the town was already called "Richardton" when we built our Abbey here, and we were the first provider of electicity in town. Anyway, the water was pumped up to the tracks, and having pumped it that far it would be a simple matter to pump it into the water tank. My gues would be that the station master also managed the pumps, and that they probably had a steam generator to do the work.
The dam that they built was about a mile from the town, though it is likely that thier station was out there and not over her in those days. Once electric pumps were available it mattered not at all how far the pump was from the tower. The pipe feeding the tower need not have been all that big, but it would have to be insulated lest it freeze in the winter time.
I have never seen the railroad water tower, but our municipal water tower is just over there, it has a single (perhaps 8" pipe) going upt to the tower, This in turn is jackedted with an insulated 36" diameter pipe, and in the house below the water tower there is a gas heater which heats the pipe and some of the tower. Water is eigher going up or down depending on the demands of the town, but the pumps are elsewhere, at the whale heads. Every once in a wild the whale snorts and water goes up the pipe. LION does not know why the water in the tank does not freeze, which is to say that it probably does, but the ice on the tank wall likely enough insulates the rest of the water from the sub zero winds.
I knows that the New York Central had steam plants to heat the troughs in all of its jerkwater towns. Keeping those things working required full time crews.
Oh well, that is why we run our subway trains on electricity.
ROAR
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