From my experience on the C of G, which had upper quadrant semaphores, they blade started down immediately after the circuit was tripped but they were fairly slow. Since this is halfway down I'd say the train is going slow. Nice shot, I wonder who took it.
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It is a nice shot indeed of a handsome machine on a 40's "unit" train. Nice work also on the PS Ron. I think mention should be made of the unusual smoke control pipe. I am not familiar with this model. Of course, the Rat Hole got it's moniker for a reason and that is the misery and danger of the engine crew riding steam locomotives working hard and moving slowly in tunnels. The Southern probably tried every gadget any body could dream up to alleviate the crews bad working condition. Do you know more about this one Ron?
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| Posted by on July 19, 2012 | |
Dennis, that device is called a Wimble smoke duct. It was designed by a CNO&TP locomotive engineer by that name, and replaced the early simple “bonnet” flip over devices that weren’t nearly as effective. The CNO&TP once feature 27 very tight and “hot” tunnels, hence the name “Rat Hole” nickname-- a moniker bestowed on the line by “boomer” brakemen who worked there for a time. The Wimble smoke duct slid forward and covered the stack inside the tunnels, directing the exhaust blast back over the sand dome and then upward. Passenger engines (which traveled faster with lighter loads) had a shorter version of the Wimble. The sliding duct was powered by an air operated cylinder/piston, which was controlled by the engineer.
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As a former SOU RWY employee, I always thought of the Atlanta-DC route as the *Mainline". This shot demonstrates I was wrong. That big Mike on the CNO&TP says it all. Thanks Ron--Keep them coming! TL
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Hope you have more like these, Ron!
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I really enjoyed this beautiful view from the Golden Days of raildoading. Many, many thanks. Send more of the same!
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Thanks for the additional follow up information about the Wimble smoke duct. It's always interesting to hear of unique devices used on locomotives during the steam era. Thanks for sharing.
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What a photo and what a story. Thanks for posting it Ron.
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I read an article recently about crude oil movements over the rails during WWII because of German U-Boats hitting tankers off shore. Seeing all the tankers behind the locomotive, I wonder if this might be related.
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I was thinking I've seen this photo before in a Model Railroader article on railroading during World War II. If so, it is a perfect example.
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