Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Sanding towers

2190 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2017
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
  • 651 posts
Sanding towers
Posted by hbgatsf on Friday, March 24, 2023 6:41 AM

Walthers has a kit for sanding towers.  The instructions give some history and explains that as steam locomotives gave way to diesels the facilities were still used until better methods were developed.

What are those methods and when were the old structures phased out?

Thanks

Rick

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, March 24, 2023 8:26 AM

I'm guessing what they're referring to are the combination coal and sanding towers common in the steam days.  Locomotives would pull up to the towers, fill the tenders with coal and at the same time fill the sand tanks.  When the steam days ended obviously there wasn't any need for coal but since the sand filling systems were still serviceable they were used until the coaling towers were demolished, which sometimes took years.  Then separate purpose-built sand towers were used.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Friday, March 24, 2023 8:38 AM

Diesels and steam engines fill sand at different places.

Virtually all steamers have a sandbox on the top center of the boiler. 

An F unit has sand fillers on the sides, about 2/3 the way up.  A hood unit with a high nose has the filler on top of the hood and a hood unit with a low nose has fillers on the top of the low nose.  End cab switches have fillers lower on the carbody, even with the cab floor.

The problem with steam era sanding facilities is having a hose in the right place to reach the sand boxes on diesels.

 

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, March 24, 2023 9:48 AM

I would think that some of the "better methods" would include processed and dried sand being delivered to the facility in dry bulk trucks and hopper cars, and moved pneumatically to the tank that sits above the tracks.

Drying houses, and lots of handling by hand,  were no longer needed.

The WC had a hopper car up on legs at their Fond du Lac, WI. shops.

Here's a thread from the past that talks about sanding:

https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/258077.aspx

Mike.

EDIT: I used to know how to make old threads a live link, guess I lost my touch!  haha

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
  • 651 posts
Posted by hbgatsf on Friday, March 24, 2023 10:15 AM

This is from the Walthers instructions:

 

Rick

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Friday, March 24, 2023 10:33 AM

dehusman
The problem with steam era sanding facilities is having a hose in the right place to reach the sand boxes on diesels.

One bucket at a time:

 GN_F7-272_Sanders by Edmund, on Flickr

Note the sand hose above the far engine.

 Sand_Gardenville-NY by Edmund, on Flickr

 Sand_Gardenville-NY-crop by Edmund, on Flickr

Much better.

Regards, Ed

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, March 24, 2023 12:03 PM

No luck finding a picture I had of 2 guys, one on a fork lift, with a pallet of bagged sand, and one guy opening the bags and filling the sand box on the front hood of a GP.

I must have lost that picture about 2 computers ago.

Ed, your photo reminded me of it.

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
  • 651 posts
Posted by hbgatsf on Sunday, March 26, 2023 6:15 AM

mbinsewi

 

Here's a thread from the past that talks about sanding:

https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/258077.aspx

Thank you.  That thread was helpful.

How much sand does each locomotive carry?

Rick

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Sunday, March 26, 2023 9:54 AM

A GP7 holds 18 cu ft of sand.  Most times the sand is "topped off" rather than completely refilled.

A two bay covered hopper is about 2000-3000 cu ft, or enough to completely refill 100-150 engines, or partially refill 200-300 engines.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
  • 651 posts
Posted by hbgatsf on Sunday, March 26, 2023 9:15 PM

Thank you. 

Rick

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!