Thanks Balt!
So long ago, a bit like looking at ghosts.
I know the Reading T-1s the 4-8-4s had three seats in the cab. One on the engineer’s side and 2 on the fireman’s side. Even had an extra window on the fireman’s side.
Did Camelbacks have a brake handle or two (train and independent) for the brakeman for emergencies?
That’s an interesting question.
Almost no Camelbacks appeared to have more than a rudimentary English-style sort of ‘spectacle plate’ “cab” for the fireman, and it is not likely to me that a head brakeman would ride there by choice. Likewise I was unaware of any automatic brake valve ever being provided there… or of any independent valve, or emergency-brake trip valve, like the one in a passenger car, for the fireman’s use.
That raises the interesting question of what, if any, brake controls were in the ‘other’ side of the cab structure, opposite the engineer. I doubt it would be cost-effective to plumb an automatic valve over there, and an independent brake worked by someone with highly defective communication to the engineer is unlikely as well, but at least plausible. That leaves the emergency trip.
Mat least two Camelbacks survive that I know if (in Baltimore and St.Louis) and these could be physically checked to see what is there (or get hints on what might have been tried but later removed). No account I have read of running them indicates braking from the firing position or head-end brakemen working an actual brake on the engine and not the train.
David, if you click on the link I posted on January 29th of this year to the B&O Museums Camelback, and then click the link to the photo spread, photo 11 has a view of what I’ll call (for convenience) the brakeman’s side of the locmotive.
I don’t see anything there that looks like brake handles, but honestly I wish there was more detail than there is.
Of course, that’s just one Camelback belonging to one railroad. Whether there were brake controls on some, none, or all, is still open to conjecture. I’d never say “never,” railroads could pick and choose how they wanted locomotives equipped.
Here’s the link again, for everyone’s convenience…
http://www.borail.org/CNJ-No-592.aspx
Scroll down to “View full album here,” click on “here.”
Another Camelback story. When the Pennsylvania Railroad saw how “popular” Camels were with other 'roads they figured they should try them too, and bought four.
The Pennsy didn’t like them at all, they especially didn’t like the total lack of communication between the engineer and the fireman, so after short time they sold the four to the Long Island Railroad, who didn’t like them either.
What happened to the four after the LIRR unloaded them I have no idea.
Thanks. Apparently, the “brakeman’s cab” was just a place to ride.
Doghouses, too, although it was certainly technically feasible to run a brake line of some sort up to them. While it beats riding out in the weather, I understand they could be drafty chill in winter and like a Dutch oven in summer sun.