Many modern steam locomotives had their air pumps located forward of the cylinders rather than the more traditional location, on the side toward the middle. In the forward position they were almost invariably hidden behind shields. (See my avatar). Why? Were they exposed to an unusual hazard mounted up front, or did they create a new hazard because of their position? Or was it just a matter of looking good?
Tim
Looks may have had something to do with it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the shields were there to keep bugs from plastering the cooling fins on the compressors. There's a story of a hobo back in the 30's who jumped freight, but rode on the front end of the locomotive instead of a boxcar, figuring the railroad police wouldn't look for him there. Well the "bulls" didn't find him but the bugs sure did! At the end of the run he was grey from the bug impacts and choking on the corpses! The "bulls" let him go when they found him, they were laughing so hard they didn't have the heart to arrest him!
I believe the ideal location for the air pumps would be on the front pilot or the smoke box but they give a locomotive a cluttered look. Air pumps by the driving wheels collect a lot of dust, grime, and grease. The air intake for the air pumps are normally located next to the air pumps which has a filter. Grit, dirt, and grease increases the need for changing the filters more often than if they are on the smoke box. The smoke from the locomotive especially in tunnels is hard on the filters.
If the air pumps are on the smoke box or the front pilot they are not exposed to nearly the amount of debris when running normally. But having them mounted on the smoke box door is a mechanical nightmare for mechanics as the piping must be disconnected just to open the smoke box door. Not to mention you are adding probably nearly a 1000 pounds extra when removing a door or opening it.
I think the ideal location would be on the front pilot like the big boys had. This is probably the best location to keep things clean and also easy to access.
The shields , oh yes - one of the more mysterious items on 'modern' i e just 70 years ago built steam locomotives . Well , from certain people usually less than precisely informed I've heard it had been a matter of protecting against spies from other railroads . You know , in the age of steam each RR swore only but only locomotive of their own exclusive design specifications and configuration , modification and adaptations were suited to do the jobs - basically much the same jobs as on a neighboring RR , more often than not . So , inevitably some RR CME came up with the heretical idea of configuring new power simply by help of some spying at the RR next switch or yard instead of bothering for a headache over calculating specs for a new design of their own . Understandably , the spied RR usually didn't wholeheartedly appreciate such overly caring attention . While not much could be done about such items as wheels , rods and cylinders , at least auxiliaries could be hidden from inspection by such eager eyes : thus it came , sanding lines and auxiliaries steam supplies were hidden under boiler cladding and also pumps got shielded , drawing upon an adaptation of old techniques developed for soldiers by the Romans during their successive , some would say excessive , empire building by conquest of Mediterranean sea shore countries . Thus 'modern' steam locomotives came to soldier on with auxiliaries shielded by ancient technology and design . The shielding craze was later increased to such extent as to cover whole locomotives in what became infamous as the inverted bathtub design - a formidable misunderstanding , because it was not the bathtub that got inverted , on the contrary : starting with an elaborate layout of a private bathing suite behind secret doors in an executive's bureau floor , an early such hiding shell was being turned upside down to serve as the RR's presidential bathtub - of course not before having been fully gold plated on the inside and covered by Italian white marble on the outside . Since in the US what has once started as luxury accessories of the high and mighty soon became wider spread , usually , until ending up in arguably somewhat simplified form as standard middle class home equipment , the inverted inverted-bathtub design of bathtubs has since made a career upside down-town until tumbled over by the more time-saving shower , more befitting our relentlessly restless modern fully rationalized economy-streamlined way of existence . Needless to say , it was only by dizzelization that railroads could be stopped to carry this shielding theme any further , why , they had just been about to shield whole passenger trains in stainless steel to fit shielded locomotives . ElectraMedusaDiana Celestroporation deserves our endless thankfulness for preserving the nation from a craze about to go crazy , at least that one . Now , if some would argue early EMD diesel units themselves were streamlineshielded .. uhm , well , that's another story . Or so it seems ...
Juniatha
Juniata,
Chuck
Juniatha,
Nice to see that your sense of humor is as warped as the other regulars on the forum.
One comment, the inverted bathtub fairings were to disguise the still making Kickapoo joy juice. Though that may have more for protection from the revenooers.
- Erik
*gg*
= J =
Firelock76 Looks may have had something to do with it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the shields were there to keep bugs from plastering the cooling fins on the compressors. There's a story of a hobo back in the 30's who jumped freight, but rode on the front end of the locomotive instead of a boxcar, figuring the railroad police wouldn't look for him there. Well the "bulls" didn't find him but the bugs sure did! At the end of the run he was grey from the bug impacts and choking on the corpses! The "bulls" let him go when they found him, they were laughing so hard they didn't have the heart to arrest him!
Has anyone else noticed that when driving - there are fewer bug splatters to removed from our windshields than there were 40-50 years ago. Must be something about billions upon trillions of vehicle miles yearly is either 'thinning the herd' or smartening up bugs to fly clear of roadways.
Recall from my honeymoon to Daytona Beach, back when, driving across I-10 in North Florida the windshield would get covered by 'love bugs' within about 10 miles - only a passing T'Storm of Florida frog drowner proportions for about 5 minutes would clean them off so you could see to continue. Once I lived in Florida and traversed the same roads, during the same season - hardly a 'love bug' to be splattered on the windshield.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD, now that you mention it, it does seem like there isn't the bug-splatter there used to be, but possibly the fashion of "laid-back" windshields may have something to do with it. They are considerably closer to horizontal than they used to be. I wonder if OTR truck drivers have seen any difference.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
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