I took this picture while visiting the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg, PA. Can someone tell me what the protrusions are just above the anticlimber? What were they called and how were they used? Thanks for your help.
Don Z.
Lift rings… They could put a bar through those holes and lift the body off the trucks.
Lift rings. In the shop you could attach an overhead crane to the rings and points near the rear of the unit and pick up the engine to move it around the shop.
Dave H.
Dave,
Somehow, I just knew you’d have the answer to the question! Were they used uniquely by the PRR? I’ve seen many photos of other road names and the lift rings weren’t visible.
Thanks again,
Don Z.
Other railroad used them, but the PRR was the main one. Chances are if it has those rings, its an ex-PRR engine.
Dave H.
The Northern Pacific also used these rings extensively. Can’t say whether they were factory installed or aftermarket parts, but nearly all NP F-units had them:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/np/np6013Ddsa.jpg
They also applied similar lift rings to the front platform of their early geeps:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/np/np207ads.jpg
Tom
To make sure I understand completely…do you mean lifting the frame, body, prime mover, (everything) off of the trucks, or just the body (shell) of the loco? The lift rings look like they could handle some serious weight compared to the lift rings I’ve seen on the long hoods of some other locomotives.
Thanks,
Don Z.
I’m pretty sure they could lift the whole thing with those.
“Covered wagon” diesels (E-units, F-units, Baldwin Sharks, etc.) don’t have a “shell” as such. Just sheet-metal over a bridge-like body/frame. Really weird if you see a picture of one without his skin. So yes, they lift the whole thing. The rings on the hood diesels (Geeps, SDs. etc.) are for lifting panels or attached power/control/whatever units that are attached to the panels, only.