Could anyone tell me about the tender behind the Decapod at the end of the video?
It appears to have some sort of manned cuppola on top.
It is a tender "doghouse". A brakeman would sit in it and watch the train.
From my understanding they were banned from use in the 1930's, due to a new ruling that deemed them "Unsafe". I suppose that this was because of a lack of communication between the brakemen and locomotive crew. I think the railroads left them on top because it wouldn't hurt to leave them there, and they could be used for extra storage; I'm not sure.
But they certainly aren't out of the ordinary, here at the St. Louis Museum of Transport, we have four locomotives that still sport their "Dog houses". Most of them weren't original though, the railroads put them there, after the loco was delivered.
My question though is why our N&W #2156 has a doghouse, even though it was built in 1942, after the dog house ban was put into effect.
Anyone know of this?
Tender "doghouses" being banned? I don't know, I've never heard of that. As a matter of fact, I've seen photos of Pennsy steamers that had brakeman "doghouses" clear into the 40's.
S. ConnorMy question though is why our N&W #2156 has a doghouse, even though it was built in 1942, after the dog house ban was put into effect.
An even better question might be why the TE-1, finished more than a decade later, has a doghouse...
S. Connor From my understanding they were banned from use in the 1930's, due to a new ruling that deemed them "Unsafe". I suppose that this was because of a lack of communication between the brakemen and locomotive crew. I think the railroads left them on top because it wouldn't hurt to leave them there, and they could be used for extra storage; I'm not sure. But they certainly aren't out of the ordinary, here at the St. Louis Museum of Transport, we have four locomotives that still sport their "Dog houses". Most of them weren't original though, the railroads put them there, after the loco was delivered. My question though is why our N&W #2156 has a doghouse, even though it was built in 1942, after the dog house ban was put into effect. Anyone know of this?
This is pure speculation. Is it possible that the "ban" on tender doghouses was a State law, similar to Ohio's caboose law(s), which banned 4-wheel cabooses in that State and introduced additional regulations regarding the length of cabooses, the operation of pusher locos behind them, etc.? Indiana had some kind of law requiring an additional caboose (or equivalent car) on freight trains over a specific length. Seems possible that some State might have had laws regulating the use of doghouses.
As an aside, in the preparation of the forthcoming book on the AC&Y and A&BB railroads, we discovered that the Akron & Barberton Belt retired all of its cabooses when it added doghouses to the tenders of its 0-6-0's in the 1930's. Eventually the regulators caught on and required the road to buy some cabooses. So they bought two old N6b cabins from the PRR around 1947. We wonder how and where the Conductor did his paperwork.
Sorry if this has strayed off topic, but I thought it was interesting.
Tom
ACY This is pure speculation. Is it possible that the "ban" on tender doghouses was a State law, similar to Ohio's caboose law(s), which banned 4-wheel cabooses in that State and introduced additional regulations regarding the length of cabooses, the operation of pusher locos behind them, etc.? Indiana had some kind of law requiring an additional caboose (or equivalent car) on freight trains over a specific length. Seems possible that some State might have had laws regulating the use of doghouses. Tom
Indiana required a 3rd brakeman on trains larger than 69 cars; however, they found it permissible for the 3rd man to dismount at Vincennes station, rather than the Wabash River 1.5 miles further on which was the state line.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Monon had a few rider cars that accomodated the third brakeman required by Indiana's full crew law. There is a picture of one in Hilton's book on the Monon.
Doghouses were built so that the headend brakeman would have a place to ride close to where he was needed. Steam locomotive cabs could be small in size with no room for a third man to "SAFELY" sit down. If you have ever been in the cab of N&W #1218, you would clearly understand what I mean.* So, the doghouse on 2156's tender was in fact original.
Doghouses on the N&W WERE very much original on freight locomotive tenders. They were built on tenders up to the very end, witness the tender on "Jawn Henry". Although not original because they were passenger locomotives, doghouses were installed on some Class J tenders when the J's were downgraded to freight service (at THE very end). The doghouse from 611's tender is still stored, although I don't know where.
*I found it comical when reading Kip Farrington's book about riding in locomotive cabs across the country that N&W locos didn't get glowing ratings because the poor boy didn't have a place to sit down. Boo Hoo Hoo
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Very interesting, could the ban have been limited to certain railroads?
I was just reporting what I have heard, although the ban may have been limited to the Frisco line, my reason being that throughout all the research I've done, I have only seen two Frisco engines with the doghouse, and both of them are the decapods (#1630 and #1631), both built before 1920. Anybody seen any other Frisco steamers with them?
"Scuse me for asking gents, but just where did you find the video with Mr. Wrinn and the Decapod? I've looked through all the areas on this site I thought it might be and can't find it. Love to see it.
It is in the Video Preview section.
Ah, in the preview of the come-and-gone September issue! I didn't think to look there. Thanks!
PS: Good preview but not enough Decapod.
The doghouse was to provide a place for the head or in some cases, swing brakeman. I do not think crew communication had anything to do with them being discontinued. If that was a factor would the conductor have been on the rear end of the train? Rather I think it was because the employee riding in the doghouse had to eat smoke and gas all the way resulting in many if not most electing the cab even if it meant standing.
F.S. Adams Rather I think it was because the employee riding in the doghouse had to eat smoke and gas all the way resulting in many if not most electing the cab even if it meant standing.
Rather I think it was because the employee riding in the doghouse had to eat smoke and gas all the way resulting in many if not most electing the cab even if it meant standing.
So the isolated crew member could consume snacks, have a cigarette, and pass body fumes without disturbing other members of the crew, and this was a problem?
I actually thought about that in connection with that Italian coal-fired cab forward from the early 20th century. Italy is mountainous, and they had the firebox and cab forward, firing from a side bunker, to protect the engine crew from engine smoke in tunnels, but the trailing water tender had a doghouse on the back, which meant the "guard" (as they call the brakeman outside the U.S.) had to breathe the fumes?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
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