Can anyone tell me, or point me to good information about surefire identificaiton for which end of a passenger or freight car is the A end? I could also use tips on properly reinstalling, or installing replaced or rebuilt car floors making sure the brake components and rigging are properly situated. Thanks!
Brake wheel is on the B end.
The brake cylinder under the car points towards the B end.
Sometimes, it is easy and straightforward.
A majority of the freight cars have the hand brake mounted on the B end and the brake piston "points" to the B end so that when the hand brake chain or brake gear is tightened it pulls the piston out (without air, of course) and applies brakes on both trucks.
This gets slightly more involved with cabooses, depressed center flat cars, passenger cars with hand brakes sometimes at both ends, articulated spine or well cars and specialty equipment.
Then you have to rely on either a brake rigging diagram that is riveted to the car or the stenciling that the car has to indicate the designation of A or B end and R or L side. A passenger car will have the retaining valve on the B end, usually accessable by a crew member from inside the car.
If you stand facing the B end of the car you get the Left and Right sides and the wheel and axle numbers correspond to this. Odd number wheels on the left and even on the right.
Good Luck, Ed
On cabooses there is one brake cylinder, and it points towards the B end. It's through the brake rigging that turning the hand brake on the A end sets the hand brakes just the same as turning the one on the B end.
Jeff
jeffhergertOn cabooses there is one brake cylinder, and it points towards the B end. It's through the brake rigging that turning the hand brake on the A end sets the hand brakes just the same as turning the one on the B end.
And likewise for cars like this Norfolk & Western hopper, with brakewheels at both ends of the car...
Wayne
I found it interesting that the Pennsylvania Railroad equipped (some?) of their steam locomotives with hand brakes. This is the 1361's 130P75 tender (K4)
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/702796/
I wonder which other railroads used hand brakes on steam?
Regards, Ed
I'd find it more interesting to learn about locomotives WITHOUT hand brakes.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
You tell the A end from the B end from the bottom. I happened upon this overturned boxcar in Alabama, and it is a good example.
.
The cone shaped end of the brake cylinder points towards the brake end, and will be on the same side of the center as the brake wheel.
The A end is the primary end for brake application. When the air cylinder pushes the primary rod, the A end applies first, then linkage to the B end transfers to motion to the other end of the car and applies those brakes. The B end is the secondary brake.
An example on a model in process with a different layout of the hardware:
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Because of that linkage in the rigging, the brakes apply on both trucks at the same time.
There are cars that don't have one brake cylinder and the associated brake rigging. They have individual, truck mounted cylinders. The hand brake on these cars only operates the brake on one truck, the B end. The cars that I've seen with this type of equipment are some tank cars and some covered hoppers.
steemtrayn I'd find it more interesting to learn about locomotives WITHOUT hand brakes.
Me too — that's why I inquired.
Ed
jeffhergertThe hand brake on these cars only operates the brake on one truck, the B end. The cars that I've seen with this type of equipment are some tank cars and some covered hoppers.
And some brand-new bulkhead flats (ingot cars) for some reason.
They even have markings painted on them stating this fact.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmann jeffhergert The hand brake on these cars only operates the brake on one truck, the B end. The cars that I've seen with this type of equipment are some tank cars and some covered hoppers. And some brand-new bulkhead flats (ingot cars) for some reason. They even have markings painted on them stating this fact.
jeffhergert The hand brake on these cars only operates the brake on one truck, the B end. The cars that I've seen with this type of equipment are some tank cars and some covered hoppers.
One superintendent's territory had a bulletin out that when a specific number of hand brakes were required, those cars with one truck hand brakes counted as one half of a brake. Using that math, I once had to tie 13 brakes to get a required 8 because of the mix of equipment types.
We've had them run away in our yard already.