Pete,
, VA
On the Norfolk & Western, eastbound coal trains were regularly double
headed out of Roanoke, VA over the Blue Ridge grade (1.2%) with a
pusher added at the foot of the grade. In most cases in later years,
the road engine was a Class A 2-6-6-4. In front of it, was the helper
which was usually a compound 2-8-8-2. The road and helper engines
double headed from the yard in Roanoke to Crewe, VA where the helper
was cut off. From there to Norfolk, the A class could handle the
train by itself. The pusher, used only on the grade, shoved on the
caboose (they were mostly wood with steel underframes) with the rear
end crew inside. At the top of the grade, the pusher was cut off on
the fly with a long chain connected to the coupler pin. The air was
not connected to the helper and the train continued on without
stopping. Here is a link to a photo of a double header on the grade:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=283700. Photographer
Winston Link once recorded the sound in the caboose with the pusher
on the rear. The recording is a track on one of his recording
available on CDs.
As for passenger train pushers, while not usual, it was done. I
believe both Northern Pacific and possibly Southern Pacific used rear
engine steam pushers on passenger trains. I know that photos of such
NP operations have been published.
Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO
On Jun 18, 2009, at 9:23 PM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Re: Double Heading Steam
> Posted by: "Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com" Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com petehedgpeth
> Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:14 pm (PDT)
>
>
>
> All right let's have a try at the details of steam double heading
> and answer some of the specific questions originally asked on this
> post.
> What I'm positing here is what I recall from some of the old
> accounts in RAILROAD and other True tales.
>
> Let's start with a true "double header"...ie both engines on the
> head end of the train.
> Some basics..The engineer on the lead engine had control of the
> train..He handled the air and set the speed. Each locomotive has a
> "cutout cock". This in effect disables the air brakes on an
> engine...The second engineer closes his cutout cock which isolates
> his brake valve and disconnects his air pump and main reservoir
> from supplying air to the trainline. The lead engineer does all of
> the train braking.
> The brakes on the second locomotive continue to be operative, but
> just like any other car in the train they are under the control of
> the engineer on the lead engine. The engineer on that second
> engine has no control over any braking...either on his own engine
> or of the train.
>
> When the train is ready to move the lead engineer whistles off and
> opens his throttle and initially has the whole load..As soon as the
> train begins to move the second engineer opens his throttle and
> picks up his share of the load...From there on the two engines work
> together. There were no "load meters" or any other method of
> determining how much of the load each engine is pulling..It's
> strictly a "seat of the pants" operation..The old head engineers
> could indeed "
> feel" what their engine was doing and would thereby determine their
> proper throttle and Johnson bar (reverse lever) settings.
>
> When it was time to slow down or stop the lead engineer "shut off"
> and/or set the air on the train..when the second engineer saw or
> felt this happening he made his own adjustments to throttle and cut
> off. He had no control over the braking of the train. While
> whistle signals were used when necessary, normally the
> communication was by hand signal since the crews could see each other.
>
> Now let's assume a situation where the "helper" is on the rear
> end. There was a real art to getting a train started. Too much
> power or lack of power by the rear helper could tear the train in
> two or cause it to buckle. Here's my understanding as to how it
> was done...Remember no radios and engines too far apart to see each
> other.
>
> When the train was ready to go the engine on the head end would set
> the air on the train...When this was done the rear engineer would
> put his Johnson bar down in the corner and open the trottle (with
> the air still set on the train). This would fill the cylinders
> with steam and the engine was against the end of the train and
> technically stalled. Just like a car with an automatic
> transmission with the wheels blocked.
>
> The lead engi;neer, when he was ready would release the air on the
> train. As the train brakes released the helper would begin to
> move, shoving in the slack and thus getting20the train under
> way...When the lead engineer felt the slack coming in he opened his
> throttle to take up the load on the head end and, if everybody did
> everything right, the train would get under way with no undue slack
> action. As both engines got ahold of their share of the load the
> train would be brought up to track speed or whatever speed the load
> would permit. In this case the initial preparations and initial
> moves would be coordinated by a series of whistle signals.
>
> As to the placement of the waycar and the rear helper...Some roads
> required the waycar to be behind the helper, but some roads would
> allow the helper to shove against the waycar..Other roads would
> allow the helper behind the waycar, but would not permit the rear
> end crew to occupy the waycar..they had to ride the cab of the
> helper. I recall one tale where the crew was riding on top of the
> waycar related that they could feel the waycar roof "heave" up and
> down with each exhaust stroke of the helper....When he waycar was
> behind the helper it required an extra move to remove the helper
> and get the waycar back on the train..Their was usually a "helper
> stub" at the top of the hill at the end of a helper
> district...Crews got pretty adept at making a "drop" of the helper
> engine and getting the waycar back on the train "on the
> fly"...Today's safety police would have a combined heart attack,
> apoplexy and stroke if they saw this kind of move being made.
>
> As to passenger trains requiring helpers
> they were almost always double headed (both engines on the head
> end)..Most roads considered shoving on a passenger train as to
> dangerous besides causing an "uncomfortable" ride on the coaches
> near the rear end of the train.
>
> Additional note...Where the rear end helper was behind the waycar
> some roads required that the air be connected between the waycar
> and the helper..Thus if the helper became uncoupled from the train
> the air would set on both the train and the helper. The crews
> didn't like this arrangment...The perferred arrangment was that the
> angle cock on the rear end of the waycar was closed and the air
> hose not connected...Thus when it was time for the helper to be
> dropped off all that was necessary was that the rear brakeman on
> the waycar would reach down and "pull the pin"...This was, of
> course, after the helper shoved in the slack between his engine and
> the waycar..Thus the helper could be cut off on the fly and a stop
> avoided.
>
> I'll take questions or comments.....If I don't know the
> answer....I'll do just like I always do...Make it up...
>
> Pete
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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