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Re: [BRHSlist] Spreaders & Air Dumps/was reL freezing locos/E unit usage

To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] Spreaders & Air Dumps/was reL freezing locos/E unit usage
From: amtrak347@a...
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 03:09:40 EDT
In a message dated 10/10/02 12:35:31 PM Central Daylight Time, 
cbqrr47@y... writes:


> Marshall
> In work train service with air operated equipment (air
> dumps, spreaders, rail loaders, etc.), the feed valve
> was set up to 110 psi, so-called "passenger air" and
> the throttle was set in notch 3 or so when the unit
> was stopped, to give plenty of air.
> John
> 

Marshall, John -
Screwing the feed valve up to "passenger air" should have been used only when 
the air operated equipment was buried in the train. Of course, in this 
situation, anytime the spreader or air dumps were actuated, the brakes would 
set on the balance of the train and you couldn't move until the air was 
pumped-up (great move when you're on overtime). The ideal situation is when 
the dumps or spreader are coupled to the engine, then the locomotive main 
reservoir MU hose could be coupled and charge that huge air reservoir on the 
spreader or air dumps. All the air-operated equipment I saw, had stenciled 
on the air tank "Tested to 150 psi" and considering the locomotive MR 
maintained between 130 & 140 psi air pressure, this was well within the range 
of safe operation. The rear of the spreaders had two air hoses, one for the 
trainline (brakes) and one for the reservoir (to control wings, 
plow/flanger). The air dumps had three hoses on each end of the car; one 
trainline and two reservoir hoses. Usually you see the two reservoir hoses 
coupled together under the drawbar at each end of the car. A work train with 
more than one air dump should have the reservoir hoses coupled between each 
car and then to the MR on the engine for optimum performance. Each piece of 
equipment had a valve between the reservoir and the trainline that determined 
the source of air supply. Determining this source required a little bit of 
effort/planning on the part of the person in charge of the work train. In 
practice, though, be it a lack of knowledge or laziness, the locomotive MR MU 
hose, generally, was not used, and the spreader/air dump reservoirs were 
charged off the trainline.
Bob


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