terminology

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

[R. T. POTEET]

I was checking out an engine on ebay and it said "single sand filler" and "standard pilot".  Anyone know what these mean?

You may know this or you may not but locomotives use sand to increase traction on the rail and either eliminate or minimize slippage.  I am going to guess that this particular locomotive is a steam engine for a reason I will get to in a moment; one or more of those domes atop this steamer's boiler is what is termed a "sand dome" and houses this sand which is injected onto the rail.  This particular locomotive probably has a "sand dome" or "sand domes" with only a "single sand filler" or "single sand fillers" - some locomotives, particularly more modern ones, had "multiple sand fillers" on each "sand dome". 

The reason I made a guess that the locomotive in question is a steamer is because diesels (generally) have sand tanks or reservoirs at the extremeties of the hoods, one tank or reservoir servicing each truck.

What is a "standard pilot"?  It is the pilot that was standard for that particular locomotive for that particular railroad company.  The Pennsylvania Railroad, for instance, had a "standard pilot" for their famous K4s class Pacific; some examples within this class may have had a modified pilot in some way, shape, or form and that would not be a "standard pilot".

[Anonymous]

I was checking out an engine on ebay and it said "single sand filler" and "standard pilot".  Anyone know what these mean?