In this month’s Trains magazine is a nice photo of 3 Pennsy K-4 engines. All three have drop couplers on their pilots. What is the purpose or reasoning for the front coupler to be dropped to a lower position and how were the couplers raised and lowered? Much too heavy for human beings to lift or lower and I don’t think dropping the coupler could contribute much to the aerodynamics.
Remember, in the time before WW II very little was known about aerodynamics - and any little thing was thought to help the cause.
Suspect the couplers were raised and lowered using air cylinders that could be manually activated and locked into position using air from the air brake system, or maybe with steam, although air would be easier to pumb and maintain.
As trains generally began to run at higher speeds and there were more automobiles on the roads several practices were made to reduce crossing collisions or at least lessen the severity of them.
Studies then came up with louder horns and whistles (some later steam had their whistles mounted closer to the front of the engine) along with oscillating lights and/or the practice of keeping the headlight on during daylight hours for better visibility — and to help ‘deflect’ vehicles and other obstacles in the path of the train the pilot area was ‘rounded off’ and various coupler retraction devices came into play.
Here’s a Commonwealth design that pivots rather than drops:
The drop couplers were pinned somewhat near their weight centers and they could be ‘lugged’ into position by one man or better with a helper.
Pilot_0001 by Edmund, on Flickr
Retractable couplers were tried on some engines. Here’s an EMD design for an E7:
NYC E7 Manual by Edmund, on Flickr
Some diesel models simply had heavy doors that fit in place over the stationary coupler.
EMD-E3-E4-E5-E6-P-COOK-COLL-B155-IMG0017 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr
The whole idea was to deflect the intruding vehicle rather than impale it.
Regards, Ed
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Thanks for all the info. Something I’ve kind of wondered about.
The Flying Scotsman has a drop coupler on the back of the tender. KInd of odd I think, maybe it’s a remnant of its North American trip many years ago.
Probably to allow it to be towed from the rear if broken down, rather than to allow pulling American stock.
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Knuckles & Buffers, Oh my!
lot 310-002 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr
An American Car & Foundry export for Brazil. It would appear that parts of the Paulista Railway was still using buffers and draw links while converting to Janey-style knuckle couplers or had a mix for whatever reason?
Buffers down, knuckle up:
lot 311-313 003 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr
Vacuum brakes? Quite curious.
lot 314 003 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
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Particularly cool is the arrangement with vertical hinge and pin that lets the coupler and draw hook share the same draft gear!
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