Smoke stack of the 4-8-4 Northern...

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Can someone out there tell me what the deal is with the smoke stack on the 4-8-4 Northerns ?. What I’m saying is, they appear as if they can be raised or lowered according to the mechanical details of the HO scale. Is this true, and if so, why ?..

“Thanks”

trainluver1(That’s just the opposite of trainhater1…)

2

I think it is just SANTA FE’s Northerns that had the raisable smokestack to lift the smoke above the loco and to promote a better draft through the firebox.

3

Several railroads had smokestacks that had the lifter - Santa Fe was real big on the feature. The ideal was to make it extendable to get it above the roofline so that the smoke would clear the engine cab. As the engines got bigger, the stacks got shorter due to clearence issies in urban areas. Once out in the rural areas the stack lifter could be engaged.

Jim Bernier

4

Thanks for the info guys. I was wondering what the deal was on those…

trainluver1

5

Is that gizmo on the stack a lifter or a deflector, now I can’t tell the difference. I have never heard of a lifter before but I have seen curved fittings that look like the can be on or off, I need help here.