Steering wheels???

[Anonymous]

In movies and documentaries featuring European diesel or electric locomotives, a prominent feature on the control panel is an item that looks like a "Steering Wheel". What the heck is it? The engineer (Driver?) seems to make frequent minor adjustments to it while in motion. Thanks for any answers to this question. Ron H.

[Anonymous]

sounds like the throttle.

[Anonymous]

That is the reverser. A few US locomotives used the screw reversers also.

[thirdrail1]

Screw reversers were found only on steam locomotives and they did far more than reverse the locomotive, they determined the percentage of the piston stroke that steam was admitted to the cylinders. Therefore, there is no such animal on a Diesel or electric locomotive. The "wheel" on European locomotives is indeed the speed controller. Again, throttle is a steam locomotive term. The reverser on an electric transmission locomotive (Diesel or straioght electric) is a simple reverse key.

[wabash1]

i am amazed that i have been using a key to make my train go faster or reduce the speed. i am sure that ge and emd will be suprised that what they call a throttle is incorrect. and that they need to even take the lable off of the engines they are producing. i do have one question. am i still using a dynamic brake or am i mistaken on that and will haft to be retrained on how to run.... i sure dont want to be doing it wrong.

[thirdrail1]

Wabash, I misspoke, there IS a throttle on a Diesel, but not on an electric. What "key" are you talking about controlling speed? I referred to the removeable reversing lever, which many refer to as the reversing "key', at least on electrics. I think you will agree that there is no such thing as a "screw reverser" on any Diesel. The current flows in one direction or the other.

[wabash1]

just pulling your chain a little the throttle is broad based and to my understanding is referred to anything that accelerates a motive power lawn mowers engines trucks and cars even though they choose to call it a accelerater. electromotive is the only thing i can think of that has a dynamic brake. and i mean what i can think of as i dont call it gospil. anyways i have never seen a screw reverser. and on the engines we just call them reversers and the key is just the handle is what we call it. other places my call it something else. and a good engineer will have a extra as these happen to disappear on regular basis i have 2. reasoon if i have a set of power that has extras ill grab them never know when you get to outlying point and not have one on that engine.

[thirdrail1]

Wabash, You remember what a "Johnson bar" was on a steam locomotive, don't you? Well, some steamers had a wheel with a handle on it instead of a Johnson bar. The B&M's big Pacifics were so equipped. Rode a fan trip from Boston to Portland, ME, behind one. We stopped for water in NH and the engineer overshot the water crane and could not figure out how to turn the screw reverser to back up the 20 feet to the crane. Finally some "old head" got up in the cab and showed him how or fixed the problem. I recall some Erie men calling the reverser lever the "key", and yes, they always kept an extra too!

[Anonymous]

Many European steam engines used a screw reverser, operated by a wheel, to control the direction and volume of steam admitted to the cylinders. Frequent adjustment of these to control speed was seen as a good idea, being economical in the use of steam.
Some electric locos used a steering wheel object for notching up & down the power - again to moderate speed. Hope this helps.

[CShaveRR]

This is from the March issue of Snakebites:

Moron Manager Award

Asst Supt. in San Antonio (by title, not authority) is an idiot. He came out of LA IMO and knows zip about railroading. Several months back he showed his ignorance to the train crews over the radio, once again. While driving out of the south end of SOSAN yard (UP Yard) he saw a train, which was supposed to have departed for Laredo but had not moved. He asked them on the radio why they had not departed. The response was that they did not have a reverser. The car department was on their way up with a reverser. His retort was "You are not going to be backing up between here and Laredo, so leave town now." Months later you can still hear train crews asking each other over the radio if they are ready to leave, and the answer is "Yes, I have a forwarder, I can go." Thanks to Jack B, Retired SP

[wabash1]

that was good. and its true most of the people hired for management positions now a days are collage grads with no idea what its like on a engine or running one . all they know is i want to get promoted and i dont care who i back stab to get there. and i was told years ago when i hire on the railroad that trainmasters will come and go and you will still be here so dont let them get to you. and its true still having fun after 5 differant train masters now. and looking at number 6 soon.

[BR60103]

The first screw reverser I saw was on Flying Scotsman (the steamer). I know that in England a lot of attention was paid to the cut-off (percent of piston stroke where steam was admitted) to get more economical performance. Screw reverse gave finer adjustments than a bar on a quadrant. On the other hand, locos used in yaed work where there was a lot of reversing would have lever reverse.
Lots of bad language if you got an express loco on a yard job and spent the whole day spinning that little wheel.