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Specs on GTW 5629 and the other K4-a's

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Specs on GTW 5629 and the other K4-a's
Posted by Oregon_Steamer on Sunday, June 27, 2021 5:55 AM

Disclaimer: I don't want photos of the locomotive's demise to be posted in this thread, I only want to discuss technical specifications of it!

Okay now, if you have a knowledge of the history of Steam Preservation you've probably came across the plight of Richard Jensen & his locomotives (Specifically the GTW 5629) while the story is somewhat well known in our community, certain aspects of 5629 are not talked about that much if at all.

I’m looking for specifically what type of Air Compressor and Feed Waterheater the engine possessed. I also want to know if anyone knows of any good cab interior photos that exist? I found one on flickr but this isn’t much to go on.

 

 

The reason I want to know is because I am partaking in a thread on Dovetail’s Train Simulator and really want to see this get made. https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/grand-trunk-western-holly-subdivision-1950s.22108/

 

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, June 27, 2021 9:27 AM

I believe the K4a had Worthington BL and K4b Coffin FWH.

Air compressor type was likely a Westinghouse cross-compound type; I don't know the size and am not expert enough to know from photographs.  I would cross-post this to the MR forum, as there are modelers who would know this.

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Posted by Oregon_Steamer on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 6:53 AM

Overmod

I believe the K4a had Worthington BL and K4b Coffin FWH.

Air compressor type was likely a Westinghouse cross-compound type; I don't know the size and am not expert enough to know from photographs.  I would cross-post this to the MR forum, as there are modelers who would know this.

 

I did just that but I haven't gotten any replies yet.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/288617.aspx

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 7:08 AM

There have been a couple of good articles on the arrangement of BL over the years, including a very good detail discussion in one of the ICS courses on feedwater heat that used to be available for download free from the Web.  (Apparently somebody didn't pay Bluehost so you'll have to 'search the community' to see some of the diagrams...)

The BL heater is that big thing behind the air compressor on the left side; it has all the little pumps for the heater in the one unit (and in fact they are all arranged to be run off a common vertical piston rod!) so applying a feedwater-heater system to a locomotive not designed for one could be done simply and then easily shop-maintained.  Of course the weight distribution sucked and so did some of the mounting methods, so it is no particular surprise that later designs which separated the components were 'preferable'.

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, July 1, 2021 7:59 PM

Steamlocomotive.com says the capacity of the Coffin FWH on the K4b was "5000gph".   The only Cyclopedia I can access (1947) does not show Coffin statistics - only a diagram and some sample components - and only has the Worthington 'improved' BL-2 range, which brackets the stated number: the 2-BL is 3900gph and the 3-BL is 5400gph.  The various pipe sizes are mentioned, but of course are unlagged nominal size so not worth much for taking measurements off images.

The improvement from BL to BL-2 occurred in 1929, so if you can download a '22 Cyc from Google Books you might see what the 1924 sizes were rated, and choose accordingly.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, July 2, 2021 10:49 PM

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