Looking over the recent Rapido E8 has drawn my curiosity to a rectangular panel just ahead of the sand filler hatch and I wondered what could be behind there. I know the nose is filled primarily with air brake equipment so I’m trying to reason what would benefit from outside access rather than going into the nose from the cab or nose door.
Ya’ got me scratchin’ my noggin on that one, Douglas. I used to work on some hydraulic systems and we had pilot-operated servo valves. Are you thinking something along those lines?
Now back in the E7 days there were pilot-operated retractable couplers but they were only on a few engines and they proved to be a nuisance.
I probably didnt say that right, but thats what i was thinking. Cant locate my EMD Diesel book. I should know this stuff by heart. But good working brain cells these days are like E8s themselves… very rare!
What I did find last night was these access doors on E8’s-and E9’s. I found this…
However, the key to this was not posted. The only other thing I know of in this area was the ‘air brake rack’. I have seen this hatch on both side of nose, Im kinda leaning on that servo thing though.
Just out of sheer imagination, it wouldnt be hostler access from the ground?
Scouring over some additional photos I found some engines had jacking pads, others had combination jacking pad/lifting lug and some, such as Santa Fe and PRR famously had the nose-lifting eyes.
Ed) you sure can pick some doozys! LOL I woulda never guessed they were anything to do with lifting. Because up til this post, I always thought the front mounted lift rings (on the pilot) were the only way to lift an F/E unit. Learn something everyday. All’s left now is to forget what i just learnt.
(this would suppose that any unit that had an access hatch on one side, MUST have one on the other. A good way to prove thats exactly what it is.)
I wonder how many were thinking thats where the blinker fluid goes in [(-D].
The model shows the lifting lugs standing proud of the shell surface. It also appears from the prototype photos that the hatches are not wide enough to easily reach in and bolt lugs from the outside.
Does this mean that the lugs flopped down on some sort of pivot when not in use?
Sheldon, the B&O Museum appears to be the type of establishment I’d spend far too much time in, yet still not see it all!!!
I really don’t know but I don’t think so.
I’m thinking (yes, that explains the burning smell) along the lines that the lug is an eyebolt with a threaded portion at the end for a nut, and I’m trying to convince myself that I could reach through the gap between the frames to put the nut on while turning the eyebolt to get the nut started and hold it until the base of the eyebolt is up to the body, finishing tightening the nut with a suitable ratcheting wrench. The nut itself doesn’t have to be that tight because provided the bolt shank is in a suitably anchored bearing block to the frames, the eyebolt/lug is acting in shear.
Anyhow from this site containing the “EMD Enginemen’s’ Operating Manual, Model E8
Sheldon, the B&O Museum appears to be the type of establishment I’d spend far too much time in, yet still not see it all!!!
I really don’t know but I don’t think so.
I’m thinking (yes, that explains the burning smell) along the lines that the lug is an eyebolt with a threaded portion at the end for a nut, and I’m trying to convince myself that I could reach through the gap between the frames to put the nut on while turning the eyebolt to get the nut started and hold it until the base of the eyebolt is up to the body, finishing tightening the nut with a suitable ratcheting wrench. The nut itself doesn’t have to be that tight because provided the bolt shank is in a suitably anchored bearing block to the frames, the eyebolt/lug is acting in shear.
Anyhow from this site containing the “EMD Enginemen’s’ Operating Manual, Model E8” …
When they say lifting lug I think of something permanent, like those nose mounted things.
I don’t think something like an eye bolt would work. An eye bolt has all of its strength when pulled straight. It is at its weakest when pulled horizontally, parallel to the surface into which it is screwed.
Being a life long Maryland resident, most of it within a 45 minute drive to Baltimore, and having a life long connection to the model train hobby and trains in general, I have been going there since I was a child.
I have personally known a number of people who worked at the museum, one fellow modeler friend from the past is the son of the gentleman who built the original HO display layout at the museum back in the lat 50’s. Now replaced by a layout also built by several people I know.
It is literally the birthplace of railroading in the US.
I don’t imagine the side lifting lugs are much help in the case of derailments. One of the reasons the PRR and Santa Fe elected for the nose eyes, I suspect.
I came across an interesting photo of an E7 in trouble showing the use of an attachment point that probably isn’t in the EMD standard parctices book:
I see several styles of “jacking pads” and these are frequently placed on locomotives, passenger cars and some freight cars. Some jacking pads seem to have additional features that allow a wire rope sling to be used for lifting.
Others seem to have features that permit the long arms of a spreader bar such as would be found in larger back shops.
I recall being in the NYC’s Collinwood shop and watching a locomotive being lifted over the top of other engines in the shop. It was a quick operation for the crane operator and the machinists on the floor to place the arms to make the lift. None of the NYC Es or Fs had any extra lifting lugs other than the jacking pads along the side bolster.
Not necessarily. To be fair, perhaps I should have said eyebolt type arrangement, but otherwise I’m comfortable with my original hypothesis. Just think tent peg; the load is definitely not perpendicular.
Once again Search EngineEd comes up with another doozey of a photo!
It would appear that they’ve just placed the hook under the body at the front in the vicinity of where a “lifting lug” would be on those locomotives that had them installed. A lifting frame, as I found in the drawing on my last reply, may not even fit.
And look at all that work done and there’s not a hard hat or dayglo vest in sight!!
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
Chicago & North Western - California Avenue Coach Yard by d.w.davidson, on Flickr
Chicago & North Western - California Avenue Coach Yard by d.w.davidson, on Flickr
C&O E8 #4021, wb George Washington, Vincennes, Ind Feb 68PS by Rick Wright, on Flickr
