[SlateCreek]

Anyone actually run one of these things in a museum someplace?

I need to know three things:

1.) Inside the cab, how large is the "transmission hump" or other structure covering the back of the engine and / or transmission, and how is the seating for the engineman (and any other crew seats) arranged ...

2.) In the mechanical version (as in, not a hydraulic drive, but an actual transmission with gears and clutch) how many speeds does the locomotive have, and is it something that's generally shifted like a road vehicle, or is it something where the range is picked first and then stayed with until the locomotive is stopped again?

3.) How are the basic controls laid out in the cab? I'm sure there's a clutch lever of some kind, and a throttle ... is there also a "traditional" gear shift and reversing lever like a motor hand car has, or is it done differently?

I've run diesel electric and diesel hydraulic, but the gas/diesel mechanical isn't something I have first hand experience with.

Matthew (OV)

 

[Torby]

There's one on display in Rochelle IL that you can climb all over.

 

[Larry Green]

The Colorado RR Museum has the DRG #50 Davenport, and anotheroperable similar unit. If you were to ask them , I'll bet a member of the roundhouse crew could give you the info you are looking for.

Larry

 

[Jeff Livingston]

The Kauai Plantation Railroad operates a 1938 Whitcomb diesel mechanical. The picture is way to big and I've forgotten how to resize it already so its a link. http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/jefflivingston/KPR%2010.jpg The interior is rather simple and is operated just like a farm tractor. http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/jefflivingston/KPR%2010%20Interior.jpg The seats are obvious replacements but appear to be in the original locations.

Jeff Livingston
Kaneohe, Hawaii

 

[rkapuaala]

Great shots Jeff, so the engineer sits on the left side? BTW, I recognize the air brakes, but what are the other pedal, and levers for?

 

[altterrain]

Interior of this little Brookville (from http://www.railroadpix.com/rrphotos/Critters/) -

-Brian

 

[SlateCreek]

In-ter-es-ting.

So, in Jeff's photo, I'm guessing, left to right, we have the throttle up there by the left hand window with the really long linkage.... then the big lever on the floor would be the manual locomotive (only) brake, the pedal on the floor would be the clutch, to the right of that is the reverse-neutral-forward lever, and then behind the column with the automatic brake on it, you can see the base of the gear shift, looking very like an automotive (or more likely truck/tractor) transmission.

On Brian's, the clutch is the odd shaped pedal on the left floor (meaning the engineman sits sideways with his back to the right hand wall to operate it?) then the gearshift, then the air (or hydraulic?) brake for just the engine (note there is NO automatic brake on this one) which makes the large lever on the right the reverse/forward/neutral lever. And... that makes the throttle the little bitty lever between the brakestand and the reversing lever.

Great. So now we know, conclusively, about the controls ... Now, has anyone actualy run one of these? Do you shift gears while in motion? Or, is it more like a lawn tractor where you select a "range" and control the speed more with the throttle than anything? Particularly on Jeff's version, it looks like it'd be pretty tough to shift gears on a regular basis without taking the skin off your knuckles on the brake stand!

So far, it looks as if the Bachmann loco has the reverse lever like Brian's, and a control stand with the brake/throttle that's also very similar (although it looks more like an air brake handle) and the gearshift/clutch are missing entirely. The instrument panel is there, however ... and, adding some of the missing stuff will either be easy, or unnecessary now that we know what's actually IN there.

I'm going to fashion a kind of squarish cowling for the big domed transmission hump in mine, to cover how huge it is, and provide extra "seating" very like on a motor hand car... while maybe not "standard equipment" it's certainly a plausible arrangement (or as plausible as the crate seats in some, or the marine / boat seats in the Hawaiian one!) and it will make the job of interior detail that much easier! (reminds me of a certain quarter pounder (GE 25T diesel) I ran once that had big bench seats installed with enough room for a family of 8 to cabride....)

Now to work out how exactly to do the rear headlight.... and we're in business!

Matthew (OV)

 

[Jeff Livingston]

Matt,

The Whitcomb on the KPR operates just like a farm tractor. Pick a direction, pick a gear range and go. Here's an idea for the front headlight. L-11 was a 35ton Davenport built in 1940 The rear light was cut into the back of the
cab like a GE 25ton.

Jeff Livingston
Kaneohe, Hawaii