What is the contraption above the left-hand number board? Is it a bell?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=447514&nseq=
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=441133&nseq=
Also, those bizarre numbers under the cab
ex) 30 ERS-4, 30 ERS-6 mean?
30ERS-6 = 3000 (hp) E (electromotive) RS (Road switcher) 6 (axles)
electric bells on the cab roof, you’re correct
I’m kinda curious about the 5th hose on the front of the 201.
Brake pipe
Actuating
Equalizing
Main res
???
I’m interested to learn as well. We have an old high-hooded GP38-2 as one of our yard goats and it used to have an extra MU hose as well. The hose is long gone, but nozzle type thingie it screwed into is still there.
PS - kind of funny how the Milwaukee (as well as the Alaska RR) were ahead of the curve when it came to electronic bells. I only ever heard them in a video or two, but did they all sound this horrible: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jR1tXtXBUiM#t=1153 ?
Once upon a time, long, long ago, first generation diesels had pneumatically controlled sanders. Probably how it was done on steam engines. The fifth hose was used to control the sanders on the trailing units. When sanders switched to being controlled through the electrical connection I do not know.
Bruce
Agent Kid is right.
Brake pipe
MR Equalizing
Actuating
Ind A/R
Front MU sand and sometimes
Rear MU sand
Randy
MU connections, both electrical and pneumatic, tended to be local option until pooled power run-throughs became common. Often it required a savvy mechanical department crew to connect two almost but not completely compatible units together. What this meant for the hose arrays was that lines that still had units with air sander control usually left the hoses on unitl the last regular use of air sanders in MU lashups. It wouldn’t surprise me if some engines had them into the 1980s.
It took until the mid-1960s until the electrical MU cables were standardised as well. UP in particular used Alco-GE style double cables even on early second-generation EMD units. The CB&Q/UP pooled run-throughs via Grand Island Nebraska required “Y” cables to get the right pins to the right receptacles. In the 1980s MBTA shop crews developed a special jumper that alllowed an RDC cab to control a trailing ex-B&M GP7 or GP9 despite mismatched throttle design.
Re: bells. We don’t have any electronic bells, but we do have one that’s electrically operated, versus air.
I only recall them on the MP15’s, but yes, they sounded horrible. I supposed they did what they were meant to do: warn people.
John Timm