Is there a central location, library, museum or other source dedicated to preserving all the technical data on railroad air brakes?

While I am specifically looking for single car test codes for k style brakes, is there any body out there who has ever tried to compile a collection of both technical information general operating information (like the ICS books)?

Simmons Boardman has a rather large selection of Air Brake books. I don't know if they have the particular info you're after though.

http://www.transalert.com/bookstore/Rail/Brakes/

ICS #1535 is the "Blue Book" on Type K Valves. I came across this reference number in old catalogs while researching ICS. The Blue Books sometimes show up on eBay.

I don't know of any group that is assembling or maintaining a central library of air brake information.

PC

The Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh has a lot of Westinghouse archival material, maybe worthwhile contacting them http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/colle ... stinghouse

Try the Air Brake Association, a railroad mechanical trade group. They've been around since 1893 !!

DPK

I did a web search and found this, I don't have time to download anything but I think the top link might be what the OP is looking for:


http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/we ... ssociation


Here is the group's website:
http://www.airbrakeassociation.org/

Didn't the RCPA used to have a website of scanned manuals? I just tried looking for it but can't find it now.

Railswap apparently was going to put some manuals online but gave up on it: http://www.railswap.org/tech/airbrakes.htm

I was told recently that the Hawaiian Railway Society has plans to post many technical materials to their website, so keep an eye on that website.

In my files I have a vintage 1900s K and P triple valve manual including maintenance, that's fragile but complete with color fold out diagrams.

Fred Heilich

I believe this is what you are looking for:please see the attachment

Mike,

Close but not quite. I am looking for the test code for preforming the single car test on cars equipped with the K style brakes. Incidentally it requires a special SCTD. Which if you had the information on that, that would be handy too!

It sounds like the Hawaiian group has things well under way in terms of a large data base to house all this. I've always found it odd that the stuff that has the least meaning is every where, but the books that car all the information that you HAVE to have to operate this stuff is hard to come by, and many who have it don't readily share it.

Sorry about that, I had the file mislabeled and didn't check it before I posted. This should be what you are looking for. I will check if I have anything on a special tester for K brakes.

Mike Tillger

Considering how frequently questions on older air brake systems come up, the electronic documentation of air brake instruction pamphlets and manuals would seem like a worthwhile project that would benefit many preservation organizations. Perhaps some organization might consider a project to approach the manufacturers for permission to set up an electronic library of these documents while there is still some original paper available from retirees and other sources?

PC

A group in Australia has quite a few old Westinghouse air brake documents on line.

http://www.cotma.net.au/library/westinghouse/air_systems/westinghouse-air-systems.html

Al Stangenberger
Western Railway Museum

I forgot to mention, there is a "Yahoo groups" group for railroad air brakes. There are not many members, and not many new posts or activity, but anyone with a project to make parts and pieces, and or locate rare materials, shoul be a member. The groups admin is an Ausi and he's knowledgeable about our early brakes. Our brakes and the Auai brakes were the same except for a few tiny details in each schedule.