I can’t quite remember why they call these draper tapers, could someone please refresh me.
It was named after William L. Draper, CN’s assistant chief of motive power when it was incorporated.
CN full carbody locomotives have a tapering carbody that begins about 12 feet behind the cab, giving some rearward visability, unlike conventional covered wagons. The cab designer was a CN mechanical employee named Draper.
Randy
Similiar to the Randy Bandy…named after the duct tape bands used by Randy Stahl to keep old Alco S6’s together.
Hey thanks. That help out, I knew it had something to do with the dude who designed the thing. Thanks
Yes … Old Illinois central trick.
Randy
I’ve always thought that a modified version of this should be standard equipment on full-carbody locomotives, whether streamlined or cowl: this would be a folding ‘door’ for part of the carbody height (corresponding to where the window would be in a practical cab door, visible from operating position, and sized and located to allow as good a view of the ground as the running boards, etc. would allow) that could be opened as needed to give the rear visibility, but also closed to allow internal access to the engineroom and following units, all without greatly compromising carbody structural integrity.
I credit Mr. Draper for the initial idea, of course.
Sounds like the BL-2 will fit that bill.
Randy
If look’s don’t matter…
Butt-ugly Locomotive -2 [:D]
Sounded just a bit pompous, now that I re-read it…
Think of it as a Draper Taper that can fold back out to give a smooth profile when desired, and that wouldn’t be a ‘twelve by eight barn door’ structurally… Might be made with windows in some or all of the framed area, too.
The “Draper Taper” concept is innovative. Would be neat to see this applied to U.S carbodied locomotives. There are still quite a few running around, especially on commuter agencies.
BTW: The “Draper Taper” units are also referred to as “Canadian Taper Cabs”.
Somebody tell me why an emergency access panel couldn’t be mounted in the rear wall(s) of the cab, accessible through the ‘taper’ if needed. Likewise for a panel like that in buses, to allow the side windowframes to be popped out.
I noticed a NS locomotive (I believe an ex-N&W SD-40) in Tuscaloosa that had portholes in both the long and short hood ends. Don’t know how well these (or CP’s) might be sealed against impact, burning fuel, etc., which is a principal point of restricted cab openings.