Question, I am installing an N scale Stewart Products Sand Tower, the arm comes off one side, with two hoses extending, it looks like I have seen the track centered between the two hoses, is this how it goes, does this service 2 tracks? Or are the two hoses for different locomotives? Also I saw one pic that showed the unit parallel to the track as if the arm swings away for clearance, Is that correct?? Is that true for the water column also for Steam, did they swing away? Sorry, I just want to model this correctly.
It may be easier to find a drawing for a real diesel to see where the openings are for sand, water, fuel oil, etc.
Most diesel fuel tanks have an filler on the tank, one on each side. The cap may be painted red, for visibility. A GP9 may have a 1100 US gal. tank.
Water will be needed for the s/g, if equipped. It may also need large quantities of cooling water. The s/g may hold 1100 US gal & 227 gal cooling. Sanders are located higher on the carbody. THe GP9 may hold 18cuft of sand. The openins s/b on each side of the carbody. For other models, the opening may be on top at each end.
It would appear the sander is meant to reach over the top of the loco to reach the other side, filling one loco at a time.
The Stewart product appeatrs to be adequate for a small branchline facility that would handle one loco at a time but only a few daily. A nearby oil/water/sand facility would handle a larger fleet, but still with only one unit at a time.