I purchased a pack of Hi Tech Details MU and air hoses for a Kato SD 40-2 and need a help determining which hose is which… A is ? B and C are ? How are they installed on the loco, starting with the outside position?
Thanks for any help.
Jarrell
From the outside in : A- actuating pipe
A- Application an release pipe
C- Main res equalizing pipe
All of these ore on BOTH sides of the coupler
To the right of the coupler , looking end on is B- Brake pipe (one per end).
Older locomotives had 1 or 2 additional A hoses for sanders located to the outside on the actuating pipe
Randy
On older passenger locomotives, there would be a signal hose next to the brake pipe hose. This is so the conductor can send signals to the locomotive. On modern passenger locos, signaling is done electrically and a main res hose is in it’s place. It sends air to the main reservoirs in the train to operate the leveling bellows and the cab car’s automatic brake valve.
Ok thanks! So looking at the end of the loco, going from outside in toward coupler it will be A, A, C and B.
like this:
A A C B Coupler B C A A
Here’s a typical SD40-2 on the UP.
Photo credit Duane Simmons http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up-3000.html .
Note there are three of the smaller hoses/cables on either side, and one of the air hoses to the right of the coupler. More than one air hose on a freight diesel, at least of the prototypes I’m familiar with, isn’t common. Check the above site for a photo of the particular loco you have, or another of the same number series, and it should provide a pretty good idea which parts go where. There are other sites like locophotos, rrpicturearchives and so on which also have useful reference shots.
Thank you Rob and Dave for your help. I was looking at a Broadway Limited version SD 40-2 in NS paint and all the hoses are alike. Guess they figure no one will notice anyway… [:D]
Jarrell,
I may have been ‘mistakenly’ using the following composition on my modern Diesel locomotives…
A A C [Coupler] B C A A
That is how I have outfitted my modern lokies, but not always with this set.
I always use a heavy TrainLine ‘B’ on the 'looking at it, - Right side of the coupler.
Then thinner hoses outward from the coupler.
I do not know if this is right, but it is what I have done.
Thanks for posting, it is interesting & will help our accuracy in modelling. -Good Question!
Thanks,
Chad I had already installed them the way Randy suggested. Frankly, if it’s wrong I don’t know of a single person that visits my layout that will ever know the difference. Now just watch… one of the guys that do visit will read this and the next time he comes over will say… 'hey Jarrell, did you know these mu hoses are in the wrong places!?" [:D]
I’m pretty sure its right, I’ve put together hundreds of real locomotive consists and still do.
Randy
I have not checked in, in a bit, but it looks like we are all in agreement & doing the same effects.
Glad we got it right!!!
It doesn’t tell you where they go, but they do have an animation on their website identifying which hose is which. See http://www.hitechdetails.com/How-Tos_MU_Hoses.html
Pity the animation is wrong. Modern freight locomotives do not use MU hoses for sanders, nor do they have signal hoses.
All modern locomotives have the following hoses:
Application and Release ( A/R pipe.)
Actuating pipe (ACT)
Main Reservoir equalizing pipe (MR)
Brake pipe/ trainline pipe.
The sanders are ( and have been for years) now an electrical function of the MU jumper
Randy
Thank you all for your help! Randy, would you be so kind as to explain what the function of the different hoses/pipes is, for instance what does the Actuating pipe actuate?
Jarrell
Maxman, thank you for the link. Normally the first place I would have looked for info is the mfg website but for some reason it didn’t even cross my mind this time. I guess I was thinking that they thought if anyone bought the product surely they’d know where to install them… 
The Actuating pipe releases the locomotive brakes on a consist when the engineer depresses the independant air brake handle after an automatic brake reduction. It allows the engineer to apply the brakes on the train and release the locomotives.
The I/R (apply and release pipe) applies and release the locomotive brakes on the entire consist when the engineer operates the independant air brake handle.
The MR- main reservoir equalizing pipe connects all the main airtanks on the consist together to provide additional air for the train.
The brake pipe- train line is what is sed to set or apply the brake on the train.
Randy
Thank you Randy.
Jarrell