How does it work when a steam and diesel run together? How about multiple steam engines? Wasn’t there some type of whistling system between engineers in multiple steam locos to communicate handling changes?
When steam and diesel run together, they require a separate crew for each. The same for multiple steam engines. This was one of the advantages during the diesel revolution. There was a set of whistle signals that helped the enginjeers coordinate their efforts, just the same as the early days of diesel pushers (before remote control of pushers from the lead cab).
I believe there is one tourist steam railroad that uses a B Unit diesel as a helper, and it’s controlled from the steam loco’s cab. There’s separate controls for the two locomotives, so the one engineer is doing the work of two because (s)he needs to operate two sets of controls to operate the two locomotives.
Clinchfield ran a steamer (10 wheeler?) with a Diesel control box in the cab. The B unit was painted to more or less match the passenger cars.
I believe that locomotive may be at the B&O museum now.
In contemporary times, most restored steam locomotives have diesel MU controls in the cab. If you look at this picture of CPR 2816 you’ll see the diesel controls between the firebox and the brake stand, directly below the air gauges. http://flickr.com/photos/bstrong/152718424/
One nice feature when running steam and diesel together is that with the air brake system, the lead engineer can control the brakes in both types of locomotives. The air brake line becomes a method of signalling as well.
dd
…Signaling between steam engines on a train in years past was pretty routine operation.
Could see a rail line that passed up through a valley about a mile and a half away from my home in southwestern Pennsylvania. A coal hauler. And the line sported grades that required pushers on almost any loaded coal train heading up the valley.
They would stop on the main and the front engine would disconnect and run back a spur that served a mine and the crew would pull out the 6 or 8 loaded cars from that day of operation at the mine and connect it to their train on the main.
Starting the train then was accomplished by signaling back and forth front to back engine{s}…One could see the steam blowing up from the whistle long before the whistle was heard due to the distance…But it was the coordination between the several engineers and their whistle signals that made it possible to get the train started on the up hill grade. Once started, all engines would be blasting with all their might and that sound could be heard for several miles up the valley.
It’s quiet now…One set of diesels work the branch…{S&C} of CSX…but there is a renovated branch {to Shanksville}, off that branch {about 5 miles}, that will start to haul coal again…but this time it is wide body diesels…and one engineer will handle it.
I saw the same thing with diesels, years ago when the Heber Valley RR was being rehabbed prior to running tourist trains. Because the railroad is isolated from any main, all equipment had to be trucked in. The contractor trucked in a pair of 25 tonners. To pull a loaded ballast car up the grade, the two locomotives would be hooked together and with whistle signals (and a certain amount of wheel slippage) off they would go.
dd
If you ever get the chance, watch the video of the Cumbres and Toltec RR when they are running the snowblower. Three steamers are used to push the plow. The pilot signals with whistle. The engines then reply. He frequently has to stop and backup to clear the plow. The whole thing is fascinating as the moderator explains all the functions. A great video.
Bob
Years ago, on the DRG&W lines out of Durango, they used sometimes as many as four or five loco’s to push their big wedge snow plow[ it was on a gondola chassis, and another one was an old tender filled with scrap iron]] and was pushed til it stopped, then backed up a quarter to half mile, throttles opened, and a run made for the cut to be cleared. There was plenty of whistling and stack talk and bruises when the outfit hit the packed snow, and either went all the way through or stuck, then it was “snow shovelers out” to dig out so it could be back out and hit it again!
A few years ago, during the height of the tourist season, the Cumbres and Toltec would run helpers on the grade between and Chama and Cumbres Pass. There was at least one bridge that was not strong enough for both units, they would have to break the train apart, cross in sections, and re-couple for the next grade…pretty impressive watching those two steamers working full out…
Not sure if they still do that or not…
[#ditto]
Back when steam was still in mainline service, steamers were usually paired with diesels only as helpers or in pusher service. Communication between the two engineers was by means of whistle signals. I recall seeing a picture of a none too young Santa Fe 4-6-2 helping the diesel powered streamlined Super Chief up the grade at Raton, NM. Another picture that comes to mind is that of the Southern’s diesel powered Carolina Special with a 2-10-2 pusher on the rear end helping the train mount the Saluda grade.
Mark