I added a pair of start buttons, right next to the compression release, on a pair of 44Ts maybe 15 years ago. No big deal, made it easy to start with just one person. Also did the same for an EMD, right next to the layshaft-

The Hoboken Shore RR GE 44 ton loco now on Tyburn RR had that feature before it left HSR in 1974.

That's a hell of an Idea don't know why I never thought of doing that. Maybe place the button a little closer to the air intake so one could spray either and push the button at the same time on those cold days.

That former Hoboken Shore 44 ton loco had an ether font, a place to spray ether into the engine within double arms reach of the start button on the firewall. We didn't spray into the air intake, for fear of hydrostatic lock, if the spray person was too generous.

My thinking is that with the oil bath air cleaners any liquid ether would not be pulled into the engine and cause said hydro lock. Our procedure is to spray into the intakes on the side of the hood and this works well for us. I have seen a couple of our less mechanically inclined brakemen spray ether to the point that liquid is running down the side of the hood with no ill affect.

Since witnessing this I began a program of re-educating them on the evils of too much ether and that only a little squirt at a time is much better then a deluge. Oddly enough our usage has gone down considerably from 2-3 cans a weekend to 1 can a month.

BTW sorry for the hijack

"What did the PRR use for steam down this line?"

The Spring 2000 issue (Vol 33, No. 1) of The Keystone has a lengthy article titled The PRR's Frederick Branch. This is probably the best (and perhaps only) history written about the line that includes today's WSRR. You can order a copy of it here:

http://www.prrths.com/estore/keystone_magazine.html

The Philadelphia Chapter of the NRHS ran at least one fantrip on this route, including the short branch to Union Bridge. I believe the trip had a K-4s from Philadelphia to York, which was replaced with an H-9s or H-10s to Frederick and return. The "light rail" referred to was/is 85-pound PRR section, certainly able to support a big Consolidation as long as there are decent ties. The Union bridge Branch served a large cement mill and would have needed substantially larger locomotives than even m.u.-ed 44-tonners to handle the loads.

Here is another source of information on the PRR Secondary from its very beginning to 1982 when Maryland purchased the line. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick ... ad_Company