BNSFwatcher [snip] It has a 'booster' engine on the lead tender truck. Q #1: what kind of noise did those booster engines make? Q #2: were any of the U4a's ever lettered "New York Central". Tnx for any info. Hays
Hays
#1. I've never heard one in real-life - not even a recording - but I'd say it's likely not much noise that you could discern. Probably depends on/ varies with the design/ manufacturer of the booster - Bethehem ? Franklin ? others ? Also, whether it is 1 or 2-cylinders - both of which had to be fairly small to fit into the tender truck, hence small exhaust volume, hence less noise. Finally - does the booster exhaust at the tender - which might be audible if you were standing there/ riding on it, or back up through the main stack - which would be more plumbin but would assist the draft - and likely be drowned out by the 2 or 3 larger main cylinders.
#2. I'm not an authority, but - As far as I know, only on models and in the ads in the magazines.
- Paul North.
CSSHEGEWISCH As long as we're on the topic, why did the IHB buy the U-4a's? Three cylinders and their sheer size seem to be a bit much even for a heavy switcher.
Yep - as I surmised, DPM's essay says pushing 6000 tons up the 2.2 % grade at the Gibson (Ind.) yard hump at a relentless 2 MPH - 89,500 lbs. of tractive effort with the booster cut in.
I suppose they'd be pretty good at 'creeping' a modern unit coal train under a 'flood' loader, too . . .
Kootenay Central Back in the Sixties? in Trains Magazine, there was an article on Mexican Steam. Therein was a roster of various locomotives and they had several 3-Cylinder locomotives. Three 3 Pacifics of Alco design were built in Canada at Montreal Locomotive Works for Mexico and they had operated into the Sixties, possibly the last 3-Cylinder rod locomotives in service on North America? [snip]
Back in the Sixties? in Trains Magazine, there was an article on Mexican Steam.
Therein was a roster of various locomotives and they had several 3-Cylinder locomotives.
Three 3 Pacifics of Alco design were built in Canada at Montreal Locomotive Works for Mexico and they had operated into the Sixties, possibly the last 3-Cylinder rod locomotives in service on North America? [snip]
Something-I-Never-Knew Before Dept. -
At that http://steamlocomotive.com website, there's a page devoted to 3-cylinder steam locomotives - http://www.steamlocomotive.com/3cylinder/
There, it notes that Baldwin No. 60000 - which has been on display in the 'Railroad Hall' at the Franklin Institute of Science in Philadelphia, PA since 1932(just a short distance from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone as 'Rocky' ran up the steps during his training) - is also a 3-cylinder ! Interestingly, it was also built in 1926. Despite my having seen it there something like 8 or 10 times - including its perpetual back-and-forth trip of about 20 feet - I never knew that before, nor do I recall any signs or other mention of that feature. For more details, see -
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/3cylinder/#60000
That 'webpage' has a couple of other links, the most valuable of which for this group would be this one -
THIS PUBLICATION CONTAINS, ON PAGES 2 TO 59, A REPRINT OF A BOOKLET ISSUED IN 1927, GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCOMOTIVE AND RESULTS OF TESTS MADE ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATIONARY PLANT AT ALTOONA. THESE TESTS WERE CONDUCTED DURING THE MONTHS OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 1926. DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER, 1926, TO FEBRUARY, 1928, THE LOCOMOTIVE WAS OPERATED IN ROAD TESTS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD, THE BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD, THE ERIE RAILROAD, THE CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY RAILROAD, THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE RAILWAY, THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES, AND THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. THE GENERAL RESULTS OF THESE TESTS, AS FAR AS THEY HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE BY THE RAILROAD COMPANIES MENTIONED, ARE PRESENTED ON PAGES 60 TO 80 OF THE PRESENT PUBLICATION.
at - http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/baldwin.html
And then this one, which includes an extensive descriptions and commentary by a man who was familiar with their construction, including a couple of the photos of the partially assembled mechanism -
at - http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/part01.html
Another unusual aspect of this locomotive is that it was a compound - the center cylinder was the high-pressure cylinder, and the outer 2 were the low-pressure ones.
See in particular the following photos of the mechanism, after paragraph 16. -
Cylinders:This is a rear view of the one-piece cylinder casting completely finished and drilled, with the truck center-pin in place.
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig7.jpg
Guides and Crossheads:This view shows the light design of crosshead used, also the method of supporting the outside guides on bearers at each end.
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig8.jpg
And the following after paragraph 19. -
Crank Axle and Wheels Assembled:This is the second pair of driving wheels, the outside cylinders being connected to the third pair. The axle is built up of five pieces.
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig10.jpg
End View of the Completed Crank Axle:The crank cheeks are of cast steel, each made in one piece with a counter- balance weight which is cored hollow and filled with lead.
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig11.jpg
After paragraph 21. - Plan Elevation of Valve Motion, at -
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig13.gif
and Side Elevation of Valve Motion, at -
http://www.cwrr.com/Lounge/Reference/baldwin/fig13a.gif
Finally, here's the link to the Franklin Institute's webpage for its 'Train Factory' permanent exhibit = the modern version of the Railroad Hall.
http://www2.fi.edu/exhibits/permanent/train-factory.php
Since I haven't seen that in person yet, I can't comment on whether it's good, bad, or indifferent, etc. - although it seems that No. 60000 still has a starring role.
Hope you find this to be of interest.
Paul_D_North_Jr Hump duty, as I recall from that DPM essay - pushing cuts of 100 to 150 cars at a time up the lead to the yard hump, at a very slow and steady speed - where the more constant torque added by the 3rd cylinder would be a decided advantage over a 2-cylinder locomotive. I'll try to remember to take a look at that issue tonight and confirm or add to this as appropriate.
I'll try to remember to take a look at that issue tonight and confirm or add to this as appropriate.
Thought I'd posted this before, but apparently not:
The grandest 0-8-0 of all Trains, January 1968 page 18 Indiana Harbor Belt 3-cylinder 0-8-0 ( 0-8-0, FRONTISPIECE, IHB, "MORGAN, DAVID P.", STEAM, SWITCHER, ENGINE, LOCOMOTIVE, TRN )
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