I was studying some loco photos the other day. At some arbitrary point i focussed on the ‘low water alarm’ on an old switcher that was sitting on a scrap line.
It got me to thinking. I know what it is, and what its use is, but in all my travels it finally dawned on me I have never heard one. We all hope these arent really ever heard from but i got curious…
Anyone know what one sounds like when its going off? Im sure it wasnt anything like a normal whistle, so as not to be confused as such. But it is a steam whistle never the less. Probably just a loud banshee screach im sure but… ???
Also, i figured since these are safety devices (and pretty important ones too!) that they would be checked regulary. When testing alarms (which i have done before) the only way to test them accurately is to set them off.
Summizing that this would be done during servicing, it is an aspect I have never heard of in loco maintenance. Not one scrap of it being mentioned. You always see workmen working on wheels, rods, piping, grates, frames, brakes, etc etc, but narry a word on the water alarms.
Because of the way low water alarms work, id be fascinated to know this info. Anyone got some more info on this? Much obliged!
Many moons ago in the 1980’s, after the UP/MP merger the 844, excuse me 8444, was making a tour of the former MP Southern Region. The So Reg. General Manager was having a reception on the train and afterwards was talking to the steam crew. He asked the about the low water alarm and the crew said they had never heard it. The 8444 was pretty pampered and so never ran low on water. On the other hand the General Mgr. started telling stories about his days as a brakeman on the locals and having to stop over creeks and siphon water into the tenders when they ran out of water, and having to gather up chunks of old crossties and firewood when they ran out of coal. Never did hear anybody say what it sounded like.
I have some information from the 1940 Locomotive Builder’s Cyclopedia.
One such manufacturer was Barco (they also made the ball & socket flexible steam connections used on locomotives and passenger cars) their system actually used a float located in a housing near the steam dome. They say there was two whistles, one in the cab and one located on the unit (presumably so a hostler or roundhouse worker would hear it) the construction was simplicity itself since the float would fall below the determined low water level, but still above the crown sheet, by a connected lever would simply open a steam valve to blow both whistles.
“The alarm may be tested at will under conditions exactly duplicating low water operation without lowering the water in the boiler by opening the test valve, F-120 thereby allowing the water to drain out through hole C causing the whistles to blow. The alarm is washed out through the washout plug at regular boiler wash intervals.”
The Nathan system looks a little more involved and this is the one I see on some HO models because of the distinctive angled pipe which connects the siphon drop pipe.
Very interesting operation using steam to expand a tube thereby activating the whistle valve mechanism. I never understood this before! Glad you asked.
The Nathan also has a test method using a valve in the cab to allow steam to pass through the expansion tube which heats it to the point of making the whistle blow.
The Nathan has only the one whistle in the cab.
A third company, The Ohio Injector Company (of Illinois?) used a fusible plug connected to a rod that would open a steam valve to the whistle. a “one-shot-deal” until the fusible plug was replaced. It would seem the crew would have to shut off the whistle after the alarm sounded and run without protection thereafter. There is no description of the operation of the Ohio model.
Speaking of low water, I recall hearing about a seri
Good information. On a branch of the C&O I am modeling circa 1949, there was a steep upgrade on the way to Minden, W. Va. A C&O engineman recounted that there was the real concern that water would slosh away from the crown sheet when on this grade on the trip back home after work was done.
As you know, that would be a huge disaster!
So when mine shifters came back home down grade, they went tender first to make sure water in the boiler ran towards the crown sheet to keep it under water. Sure they kept a close eye on the water glass!
Boy, nothing like good old common sense when your life literally depended on it!
Your story reminds me of a line in the song “Rock Island” from the Music Man: “But, You gotta’ know the territory!”
That water sloshing forward has probably given quite a few green firemen a bit of a thrill. Even a heavy brake application will cause all your water to disappear from the glass. And working upgrade you have a HOT fire and all of a sudden everything changes when you crest the grade, you had better be prepared for it.
Firing a steam locomotive has to be one of the seminal applications of the term “multitasking!”
Not an easy job, even if you did have a mechanical stoker. And the best part was - you weren’t totally in control of your job performance. A lot depended on how efficiently (or inefficiently) the engineer handled the locomotive.
Very interesting responses gentlemen. Good question - good answers! Still kinda wondering though what a low water alarm would sound like.
Would it be some overloud "hoot’ type whistle such as an N&W Class A would have? Or maybe the shrill, eardrum piercing, high pitched tea kettle whistle used on European lines?
I highly doubt it was designed with a pleasing tone in mind.
There are various kinds of boiler explosions. Here’s what appears to be the result of a low-water explosion, where the crown sheet was exposed and blew out:
This is the boiler. Or was. Note that it was an articulated–there is the mid-boiler support that sat above the rear cylinders. It looks a lot like a 2-6-6-6. Also, note the lack of the running gear. It is likely at a far distance. That is because, when the crown sheet blew out, the rear of the boiler became a sort of rocket, with the steam lifting the rear of the boiler. Note also the cab is missing.
I’ve read a couple of articles where the low water alarm going off was mentioned. The only one that I can find (Trains article late 1970s about a MoPac steam engine) mentions a “howling” sound. As in “sitting in a siding as she went by with the low water alarm howling.”
I know I’ve read another story with a description of the sound, but I don’t remember where.
How bad the coal was (clinkers), or how many leaking staybolts you had spraying water into the firebox, or how bad the spark arrestor screen was plugged, or how bad the water was (foaming, scale, high solids[lime])… and like you say, how grumpy the engineer was!
I have heard stories of identical locomotives acting up so one would steam beautifully and was a pleasure to fire and the other would fight you the whole trip.
I was part of a group (which will remain anonomous) some years ago that restored a steam locomotive. Anyway, one day the low water alarm went off and the guys said, no sweat, we have time. I left the scene and came back later. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what it sounded but it certainly was an alarm…
A good fireman would work his fire to ensure a even fire to maintain proper steam pressure in a working locomotive…A steamer with a mechanical stoker wasn’t a sign the fireman could toss his shovel out of the cab…He still had some hand firing to do-my grandfather called it “pampering the fire”.
Well, that might just bring up an interesting point, PM.
Sort of like, “What kind of sound did the grenade make just before it blew up”?
When I get a chance tomorrow evening, I’ll post a few drawings showing the whistle size. I would imagine that with the steam pressure somewhere in the 100 to 250 pound range (the lower pressure being if the engine was laying over in the roundhouse area) and the low water alarm operating directly off the main steam supply that it would be a pretty shrill, high pitched whistle, maybe something along the lines of the British locomotive whistles.
One of the things that I have been campaigning for is to get the sound decoder people to provide a “peanut” train communication whistle that the passenger engines all had.
I remember being alongside the engine at station stops and hearing the whistle when the conductor would pull the communication cord back in the train and you could hear the high pitched tweeeet coming from the cab.
Instead we get saw mill and cow sounds… and windshield wipers [%-)]
“What kind of sound did the grenade make just before it blew up”? [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]
Yeah, i better restate that, huh?
Let me know if you hear the actual water alarm sound, during a maintenance cycle, not an actual use. -
If you do, record it for posterity and share here. If it is a real alarm… duck and cover! [(-D]
All jesting aside Ed, i agree with you. I would think it would be a shrill, high pitched sound much like the nominal British type whistle. Something distinctly different than the normal whistles on the locos of each road. More than likely a mono-toned whistle.
I have since posting this thread, thought about writing to the handlers of 765 or 1225 to see if indeed maybe they have a recording for training purposes. Surely these folks would know what one sounds like. I hope!
Here’s a little late-night reading for you, Douglas.
I scanned these at 400 dpi for clarity. For some reason when I loaded them into Photobucket they went from black ink to gray (?) but still legible. Once you open them in Photobucket, click zoom + and the contrast improves.
I like the Barco sign mounted right on the whistle. And with boiler steam feeding the whistle that’s one tea kettle you can’t ignore! I can study these drawings for hours! Truly an engineering marvel.
The Nathan model can use steam or air to operate the whistle.
Again, it looks to me like the Ohio model with the fusible plug is a one-time deal unless I’m misunderstanding something. Seems like once the alarm goes off all you can do is close the test valve until the plug is renewed. Notice the handy wrench in it’s holder. Model that in N scale!
