german steam locomotives generally have a wind deflector attached to the nose while american locomotives don't. is the air different on this side of the big pond ?
While German art has some gigantic masters, the locomotive designers were all art school drop outs or rejects. They did what Shakespeare told them not to do; they tried to guild the lilly. :D
Gene
They are actually called smoke lifters and a few railroads in North America used them, but they never acheaved wide spread use in North America. They force air to lift the smoke up and away from the train. They have no other areodynamic function or benefit.
From what I know about them they are only effective at fairly high speeds (above 40-45 mph) and much of Americas railroading in the steam era was at relatively slow speeds - 40 mph and less.
The New York Central and the Union Pacific did use them on a lot of locos but few other roads had any interest at all.
Sheldon
Actually quite a few railroads used smoke deflectors. They just didn't use "elephant ears" as many railroaders called them The Western Pacific experimented and finally adopted a modified smoke stack. The AT&SF used a long extension for the smoke stack which was air actuated. The Milwaukee used a special lifter built into the casing shroud over the domes as did the SP, C&NW, NYC, and a few other roads. This meant easier access to the feedwater heater and other appliances. The D&H, NYC and UP used the large deflectors on but a few locomotives. The more compact applications were just as effective in normal operations. Anyone who has seen 4449 in action will note that the smoke is lifted almost 20 feet above teh train when there is some. The coal roads had more of a need to direct ash and cinders away from the passenger cars.
And, the real significance of these other devices was most worked as well or better and often at slower speeds than the "elephant ear" deflectors.
But smoke lifting devices of all kinds where far from universial, many railroads saw no need for such devices and many of those mentioned by jaspasha where only used on selected locomotives even on those railroads.
Sheldon
But smoke lifting devices of all kinds where far from universial, many railroads saw no need for such devices and many of those mentioned by jaspasha where only used on selected locomotives even on those railroads.
Yeah, Sheldon; but they look really cool on a big engine like a B&A A-6 Berkshire. I am itching to find out what they might look like on a J-4 Hudson-with a-you guessed it-an Elesco Feedwater system.
Gene; Didn't the Vienna Art Conservatory turn down Schichelgruber?
And he was a pretty fair artist; but none of his paintings of scapes had any people...Hmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe the lily was an 88MM Howitzer...Whatchathink?
Gutenaben, mien herr;
Rich
The C&O put them on a couple of passenger locos - a J3 and an L2(?) but they didn't last. A J3 hit a concrete truck that slid down a hill onto the tracks and the elephant ears got blamed for hiding the truck.
Rich,
Ja, er war. I'd say his artistic ability was akin to his writing ability. Both far below his oratoray ability; both far above his executive ability.
Gene
Adolf thought he was a railway designer as well. He had a far fetched idea about a super train though his empire that would require an enourmous locomotive. No details on the smoke lifters on that project.
The Daylight 4-8-4s traveled at 80 mph when not stopping or on Cuesta Grade. The small lifter used on that locomotive group was very effective at those speeds. The 4300 series mountains also had the same lifter. The WP found that teh elephant ears caused a visiblity problem.
The european railways went to a higher mounted lifter that allowed better visibility because it had the lower piece removed so the track could be better seen. :)
I have the Marklin model 3102 articulated 2-6-8-2 which was supposed to be the super locomotive. I am astounded how the german railways have been able to duplicate the MARKLIN models into real locomotives. And how BALDWIN managed to copy the esquisitely detailed SPECTRUM series. ;D
Santa Fe found out that some engineers, like some truck drivers, do not read signs. They had
sign that told the engineer to lower stack before entering the roundhouse, train sheds and other
lower overhead. The results were the same as the 13 foot high truck going under a 12.6
underpass.
The February 2007 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman featured "China's...and now Iowa's...mighty QJ 2-10-2 " (I wonder if Lanny has seen one) with huge elephant ears.
The author/modeler flew to China to research and brought back a lump of QJ coal for authenic weathering.
Henry Posner III bought 2, with an option on 3 more, and had them delivered to the Iowa Interstate Railroad.
It's a monster.
Stats: 4,700 built, 2,980 HP, 133 tons, 59" drivers, 50 tons water... Oh Oh ..minimum radius 475'.....65" HO...that lets me out LOL.
I wish I had a scanner so I could add the color pics to my collection. One picture is of a doublehead going over the Simingyi bridge in Inner Mongolia. Awesome.
Bob
Ram;
Every week or so, some nitwit driving a tractor trailer from down south or out west en route to Boston, et al, doesn't read too good either, and will manage to get from 684 onto the northbound Hutch, and when it turns into the Merritt, smack that stone underpass right by Greenwich, Ct. The bridge has stood the test of time...
Richie the rail snob
Baltimore has a famous spot like that too. The PRR mainline is elevated through most of east Baltimore and the bridge over Monument Street has a 12'-8" clearance. When I worked in that part of town there was a truck stuck under there at least once a week - I'll bet it is still a regular acurance.
Sheldon
Maybe they should take a lesson from the railroads and install some chain telltales... I'd think that "most" truckers would hear them scratching on the roof of their cabs or trailers.
dlm
Waynesboro, Va used to have a beautiful Art Deco concrete bridge that took the N&W Valley Route track over Main Street/US 250, but it was only two lane and a bit low so they took it out and put a "utilitarian" bridge in its stead. Shame. The old one had the car lanes and two small lanes for pedestrians. The N&W then passed under the C&O at Union Station, with N&W below and C&O above. The strange thing is that the station had a coal trestle attached.
Gene
Just to be pedantic , I never heard of any German Howitzer bored in 88mm . German 88's were usually anti-aircraft guns or later on used on armored Vehicles such as tanks ( Tiger I and King Tiger ) and tank hunters ( Jag Panthers and Porsche Elefants ) The use as tank weapons came about due to the use of the anti-aircraft as anti-tank weapons in North Africa. There range was found to be 10.000 feet plus.
No, the Germans did not have a 8.8cm howitzer. The 8.8cm was designed as a Fluegzeugabwherkannonen, but gained fame as a Panzerabwherkannonen. It was also used in an anti-personnel role.
Gene
war is hell but it brings out cool words like " kanonen " ;D
Quote from: SteamGene on March 27, 2008, 07:20:03 PM
No, the Germans did not have a 8.8cm howitzer. The 8.8cm was designed as a Fluegzeugabwherkannonen.
Gene
Don'tcha just love those German compound words? So long, that even the Germans contract them, hence "Flak".
Not "Flack" as some people write. :)
stopped the Me 262 in " mittflug " and the pilot would say " acht du lieber "....
Is that similar for our "WTF?"
Bob
Ja - er, yes. ;) And German is notorious for long compound nouns that get shortened. I'm told that the German word for streetcar conductor (two words in English, one compound) translates into:" the man in the blue coat with brass buttons who collects tickets."
Gene
:" the man in the blue coat with brass buttons who collects tickets."
Gene;
Did you forget the black boots...
I don't think so.
Gene
Now i know what to wear at a train show- a german compound word ;D
Sheldon;
About thirty years ago, I briefly drove tractor trailer for a living. I mostly pedaled New Haven, Bridgeport, and south to M.t Vernon, etc. I will always remember Bridgeport because of the viaduct-in fact, all along that viaduct, right through to Mount Vernon/ New Rochelle. As a pedlar, you quickly became acquainted with that setup; and lots and lots of out of state/over the road truckers came to grief at any one of those low underpasses. The one I used to love was just near the South Norwalk drawbridge, and many a overly large trailer didn't make it...Just like sardine cans... Scrunnnnncccchhh!!!
Rich
And the guy from the adjacent looney farm said to let the air out of the tires, and he was in there because he was crazy, not stupid. :D
Bob
Bob;
When you are approaching a bridge that is marked "12-6", and your trailer is 13-6, you do not go under that bridge; because the flattest truck tire in the world will not give you the clearance needed; especially if the road tilts upward on the other side-like it does on your side. There is a reason for the term "stupid".
I have a 2-10-2 lettered New York, New Haven and Hartford. Such a cool sounding american compound word.
have a 2-10-2 lettered New York, New Haven and Hartford. Such a cool sounding american compound word.
a NICE LOOKING ENGINE...With a nice sounding name. I do hope it is prototypically correct. The proto-police, y'know...
Going back a little to the post about the telltales (in the big font), I have seen a few of them around for truckers. They look similar to our RR ones, but have chains instead of ropes, and have a sign that says "If you hit this sign you will hit the bridge." I don't think you could make that sign clearer, but there will still be a truck stuck under the bridge every now and then. These somewhat humorus signs seem to be disapearing, though, with something to do with damage caused to the trucks. I would think you would want to take the damage from a few chains than to rip open the top of the trailer with a bridge.
just my thoughts... .
Kevin?
i will run it at night. noone will see it, only hear it thundering by.