I was watching a video of "Giant Steam Engines", during which numerous trains were shown which had double headed Malley Steam, and a helper engine after 100 cars or so. These were from the Norfolk & Western. Also, double headed Big Boys, and Challengers, were shown from the UP out west.
My question is with the huge amount of smoke, how were the engineers able to communicate withone another and keep the engines syncronized? Obviously, this was before radio communication. And hand signals looked that would only be feasible a portion of the time.
Very curious, this has really been knawing at me. Thanks for any ideas/information
Don
Mostly whistle signals. The engineer in the lead locomotive always controlled the brakes and would use the whistle to signal operating instructions to the trailing engines. Good helper engineers also developed a feel for the road and would work to minimize slack. Firemen also developed a feel for the road and would control steam pressure and water levels in anticipation of what the engineer would need for the train. Outside of switching operations, hand signals play almost no role - then or now.
dd
dbaker,
Besides whistles, one thing that you must keep in mind is that these people had been doing this for many years. They were very experianced and instictively knew what to do. Where whistle signals would be given from the pusher to tell the head end he was ready to go, after they were moving, it was all experiance.
.
BigJim wrote: dbaker,Besides whistles, one thing that you must keep in mind is that these people had been doing this for many years. They were very experianced and instictively knew what to do. Where whistle signals would be given from the pusher to tell the head end he was ready to go, after they were moving, it was all experiance.
Big Jim as an excellent point. When driving a car - your can generally ignore the slope changes in the road. Not so in a steam engine. For example, I fire a wood-fired engine at Golden Spike. Each evening we Y the engine into the engine house. The east switch of the Y is on a slight downgrade and the east leg of the Y has a visible uphill grade. Even if I have a good fire and pressure at the switch - I have learned to add 3 to 4 logs there to have sufficient steam at the top of the Y grade.
Another example - the summit of the Viginia & Truckee has a 2% grade on one side and a 3% grade on the other. For a steam engine that is a 5% total grade change in about 50 yards. So coming up the 2% grade, the fireman needs to have the water glass nearly full approaching the summit because in about 50 yards the glass will go from full to 1/2 full as the boiler changes slope by 5%.
Most every steam engineer fired over the route that he is operating over and he learned to anticipate the subtle grade changes. That is one difference between a good engineer and a great one. Getting a train up and down a hill - particularly one requiring helpers - is like a ballet - with a very large elephant. Experience is the key.
I read in Trains once a story from an SP fireman that said in Tehachapi when getting water the helpers had to cut away and go to their plugs. Once watered and the train back togther they would whistle off and a speaker up by the lead engine would alert the lead loco they were ready. He would whistle off and a speaker in their location would alert them.
Also as posted most of the engine crews worked togther alot.So they knew what was wxpected along the line. I have an old ( 1960's era trains I think maybe 70's) that describes a run of 2 Pennsy 4-6-2's from the third person of the engine crews. Of course the lead engineer admonishes the second engineer " That I want to see a bulge in my tender from you pushing me hard I dont want to drag you along with the train!"
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.