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Yard air plants

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  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, December 17, 2012 5:48 AM

The short time I worked the puller crew at PRR's yard B in Columbus  we was instructed to spot the end of the train at the air connection(a positionable air hose with glad hand).The carmen would connect the air after they inspected the train and connected all the air hoses.This would be done under blue flag protection.

One of our courtesies was to contact the carman's supervisor and let him know we spotted a train on departure track (say) #112..This was done by yard phone-there was several phone boxes one poles throughout the yard..These was used for several things from clarifying instructions to getting permission the foul the inbound or outbound yard lead  or the runner track.

Modeling this would be easy since all you would need is a freight car air hose and a small metal or wooden shed.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Sunday, December 16, 2012 3:21 PM

A modelable arrangement is to put an air pipe along the center or along the ends of the ties of the last 2 or 3 cars of the yard tracks to be equipped.  Every 20-40 ft there is a T, an angle cock every 20-40 ft and a 10 ft long piece of air hose on each connection.  Then the cars are spotted to the end of the track close to the hoses.

If there is a road that cuts through the middle of a yard track (the MP yard in Laredo, TX had 4 or 5 road crossings in it, the TP El Paso yard had one across all the yard tracks), they will bury a pipe in the road crossing with a hose on either end so the air can be charged, even with the road cut.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, December 16, 2012 2:26 PM

Thanks for bringing up this topic, Charlie.  That's a good detail to add, and there are at least two locations on my layout where multiple connection installations would be prototypical.

Wayne

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Sunday, December 16, 2012 10:49 AM

I can't put an exact date on it, darn CRS!Devil

I do remember a recent discussion  elsewhere where I remember being surprised about how early yard air was available. IF my memory is correct (a big IF) it was a discussion about yard facilities in Durango, CO and the date that is sticking in my mind is 1910. However, this was not an original installation, but an upgrade to an existing plant that must have been in operation for some time already. This was related to the use of the then relatively new K-27 locos (called Class 125 at that time, new in 1903), which could handle longer trains. This necessitated more yard air capacity to build air in the longer trainline.

Darn early I thought, but IIRC it was based on a Rio Grande document, so evidence to support it was there. In any case, definitely before WWII, which may be good enough given that it's the transition era that most folks model in. And I'm pretty sure this early use was not unique to the Rio Grande.

As for electricity as the technology that made it possible, that's probably true in terms of widespread use. Obviously, yard air at a location near the roundhouse could take advantage of whatever means used for providing compressed air for shop use.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,312 posts
Posted by locoi1sa on Sunday, December 16, 2012 8:21 AM

Charlie

 Good question but hard to say. My guess would be when compressors became primarily powered with electric motors. Charging the train with a yard air hose would save time charging all the reservoirs and when the air was removed and the angle cock opened the brakes would set in emergency.

    Pete

 I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!

 I started with nothing and still have most of it left!

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • 596 posts
Yard air plants
Posted by charlie9 on Saturday, December 15, 2012 11:14 PM

any one out there know when yard air systems came into common use?   the PRR at Rose Lake (E St Louis) had one for the departure tracks in the east bound yard.  the compressor was housed in a louvered building some distance away and the piping was all underground.  (made for a lot of bubbles in rainy weather)  has anybody modeled this type of facility with the hoses and plumbing at the ends of the tracks?

i came off the wooden axle Big Four and when we wanted to check the integrity of a train line, we put air in the cars with a yard engine.

charlie

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