It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:36 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:45 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:07 pm
Posts: 705
A friend sent me this photo asking what kind of contraption is this mounted on Bessemer 2-10-4 621. I have no clue. Do you?
Attachment:
BB AaaaB&LE621.jpg
BB AaaaB&LE621.jpg [ 93.38 KiB | Viewed 4011 times ]


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:20 pm 

Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:34 pm
Posts: 2758
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Guessing: maybe an attempt to burn dust coal? Arrangement for catching cinders?

_________________
Steven Harrod
Lektor
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:29 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:32 pm
Posts: 199
I would guess maybe an extra large sand box for the Conneaut Grade.
I managed to find another picture of one, but I'm still at a loss for what it is...
Image


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:40 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11481
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
I've seen this photo before. Let's note that it may be a mistake to assume it's B&LE: the B&LE sold eighteen of their 2-10-4s to the DM&IR in 1951, where they were used until 1961. The 621 is also one of ten of these built by Alco instead of Baldwin.

That said, until Internet searches and my access to a library on Wednesday confirm or show otherwise, I believe this is an experimental application of a cyclonic cinder scrubber, used to remove at least some of the cinders from the exhaust. There were a couple patents for such devices in the 1930s:

http://www.google.com/patents/US1995745

http://www.google.com/patents/US1990726


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:11 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm
Posts: 6400
Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:
the B&LE sold eighteen of their 2-10-4s to the DM&IR in 1951, where they were used until 1961. The 621 is also one of ten of these built by Alco instead of Baldwin.



For the record, B&LE #621 became Duluth Missabe & Iron Range #700, the lowest numbered of the 18 2-10-4's that went north.

Les


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:39 pm 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm
Posts: 1182
I recall reading somewhere that during one assault on the grade coming out of Albion, the exhaust blast was so strong it blew part of this rig off into the adjacent field.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is this gizmo on B&LE 621?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:23 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:07 pm
Posts: 705
Both photos appear to show it numbered and lettered for B&LE, thus I'd tend to discount any DM&IR involvement. Also, the heavy grade on B&LE was out of Conneaut Harbor, not Albion. (My favorite shots at that same location in the diesel era showed a pair of B&LE's ex-DM&IR RSD15s leading and a pair of leased C&O AS616's pushing about 90 loads of ore pellets.)


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 110 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: