I’ve seen hundreds of Nickel Plate Road photos of various steam locomotives over the years. My dad bought one of the first copies of Rehor’s Nickel Plate Story and I often perused that as a youngster way back when.
One thing I could never find an answer to was why so many of their steam locomotives required the beefy lateral bracing on the ‘steam chest’ or cylinder castings? Some were fitted over the sheet metal jacketing and some under. It looks to be about 1" x 3" cold rolled steel with 1 or 1¼" diameter steel rod with nuts to keep them snug.
This photo clearly shows the engineering behind the modification:
NKP 639 H-6 seen here at Delphos Ohio 1953 by Mike Snow, on Flickr
They mostly seem to be applied to H-class Mikados but this K-1b also has the clamps and they are tucked under the cladding:
Nickel Plate Road No. 167 K-1b at Hoopeston Illinois, March 7, 1950 NKP 167 was built by Alco/Brooks 8/1923 and was 1 of 6 produced. Swartz-McCarter Collection. Photo by M.D. McCarter by Mike Snow, on Flickr
Was the Nickel Plate that rough on their cylinder castings that this bracing was needed? Did any other roads effect the same modification?
This came to my attention recently as I have an HO USRA Mikado that I’d like to “NKP-ize” and I’m planning to add this little detail. Seems to be a straightforward detail addition.
Just curious if anyone might have an understanding of why this brace was needed. In a few photos of Nickel Plate shop areas I noticed stockpiles of cylinder castings on hand, more that a usual number to keep on hand, I would say.
Regards, Ed