Can anyone tell me what this vent is for?
I’m building several of these wooden cars, and I would like to know what this is for. There appears to be another one on the opposite corner as well.
Well, I think it’s just a vent to keep the end sections of the clerestory (above the end platform) from retaining hot air and moisture that could damage the wood over time. It’s hard to tell in the picture, the the part of the roof over the end platform isn’t open, there’s a “ceiling” to the platform area about level with the letterboards. There’s not much use for a window there sense it doesn’t need to let light in, so a vent makes more sense.
More than likely its the vents for the smoking lounges. There were separate smoking lounges for women and men back in those days.
Pete
Pete, your idea sounded good, even great; but it wasn’t quite crazy enough to be true. I had a look at the floorplans I have for these cars, but no smoking lounge in the bunch.
Though this is a good example of “the plans don’t tell you everything!” There is no such vent indicated on the plans for the observation car, but clearly it shows up in the photo I posted.
Stix may be onto something with his idea of a vent for the wooden clearstory, I haven’t been able to find any similar photos for steel heavyweights. I won’t go so far as to claim they NEVER existed though, or there will be three or four, or more, images to prove me wrong.
(edit)
PS - It is also not a vent for the restrooms, the heating stoves, or the kitchen stoves (in the case of the cafe-parlor-observation)
To me that looks like a Globe vent although I usually see them mounted vertically
Ventilation was one of the reasons for the clerestory roof.
http://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/dictionary/creamervents.htm
and vents are not uncommon at that far end of the clerestory
http://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/dictionary/dictionary2.htm#D
I suspect the answer is to be found in John H White’s The American Railroad Passenger Car, which can be found at large public libraries.
Dave Nelson
Looks like we have a winner. From page 389 of the 1906 car builders’ cyclopedia…
I ordered a copy of that book earlier this week, but it hasn’t arrived yet.
It does look like the Globe vent in the drawing.
But.
In the photo, the light appears to be falling wrong on the vent. I wonder if it wasn’t re-touched onto the photo.
I also wonder what it was venting. Stix has proposed that it vents the void in the clerestory above the steps. I think it’s way too large for that purpose–a small screened opening would be more than adequate.
Yup, it’s a puzzle,
Ed
Something else to toss into the mix,
The plans (and photos) for cars without vestibules; baggage-express, RPO-Baggage do NOT have these vents. Cars with vestibules have them on both ends, whether the vestibule is closed or open (in the case of the observation car)
Not sure if that helps, or just muddles everything.
I suppose any venting of a passenger car is primarily for passenger comfort and only secondarily to prevent moisture build up and other things that can shorten the life of the materials. I seem to recall reading rather recently (an MR product review?) that the ATSF did not even install airconditioning on their streamlined RPO cars that had staff assigned to them, which tells you what priority nonpaying passenger comfort was given.
A vent at the far end of an observation car makes sense, just as a well ventilated attic needs more than one vent. Well dressed passengers would want to avoid open windows as much as possible in the steam era, yet still want to have some fresh air – remembering that those were the days before air conditioning, before electric fans, and more to the point – before deodorant.
Dave Nelson
But wait, there’s more:
How about those “windscreens” up on the clerestory windows? I put quotes in 'cause I’m only 80% sure.
Ed
Those show up on the plans, but I can’t tell if they are screens, or some kind of scoop/diverter. According to the information I have, all of the clerestory ‘windows’ are screens.
Curiouser and curiouser.
I would think “screened” not screens. On a rainy night, I’d want real glass up over my head. I think they’re openable.
Ed
You’re right Ed.
After a closer look at the plans it appears the clerestory windows have a horizontal sash arrangement, with outside screens.
On the plans, those odd fins are placed right behind the forward sash (assuming the observation platform is to the rear) in each clerestory window, that makes me think they are indeed for forcing air for ventilation.
I also think the fact that the only window without such a fin is the one immediately above the restroom also indicates some form of ventilation assistance.
Keep in mind the part that overhangs the end platform of the car is not connected to the interior of the car. The interior ends at the rear door, so the perhaps 4-6’ at the end of the car would be without ventilation if it didn’t have a vent installed on each side.
RPO’s of any railroad would rarely be air conditioned, at least not until the streamlined era. I used to bowl in the Minneapolis Post Office league with a retired RPO clerk. He said they always kept the doors open as much as possible to allow air in, but that the downside was when crossing a dirt road you always got a big rush of dust into the car.
BTW the cooking area of dining cars also was usually not air conditioned, only the dining area.