I was watching a 614 dvd the other day and noticed the engineers press down on what looks like the locomotive brake handle a pretty good bit. What's this do while operating the locomotive?


thanks

If it's the automatic brake valve ("train brake"), it releases ("bails off") the independent brake ("engine brake" or "driver brake"), in order to keep the train slack stretched for smooth handling. There is quite an art to doing this properly.

id say thats what it is then, thanks. But every steam video or cab ive rode in, ive only seen it done on the 614 when she is just crusing down the tracks

If it's got 6 brake equipment sometimes you need to contiunly bail the independent. Some more than others

614 was built with 24 brake, and I think it was refitted with 26 during the 1995 rework in advance of the NJ Transit trips.

Sometimes an engineer will keep slapping the independant while just cruising along into the Bail off position to make certain that the engine brakes are not creeping into a set.

thanks for all the quick responses

As part of our deal with the State of NJ and the Port Jervis program, NJTransit fitted the 614 with a 26 brake system and with a Union Switch&Signal cab signal/overspeed/ats system in 1998. To accomplish the installation of the cab-signal system with its microprocessor required the complete rewireing of the loco. and the installation of a bank of batteries to supply constant voltage to the system. One of 614's turbo-generators was modified to keep the bank of batteries charged.
What you witnessed on the video was the engineer repeatedly "bailing-off" the independant or engine brake to make sure it wasn't creeping on as at high speeds it doesn't take long to dangerously heat up the driver tires should the engine brake become applied.
After we got a few bugs out of the system it worked perfectly.
Ross Rowland

C'mon Ross, when are we gonna see her hot and running again?

You just made a direct hit on something I've been wondering about, and occasionally bugging our electrican at work about.

How do event recorder/alerters/ ats/ whatever other modern devices that are out there coexist with steam locomotives?

Our electrican claims that Quantum (who the Buckingham Branch uses for all there speed recorders and alerter retrofits) would more than likely be able to build one for 32 volts. I've wondered wether or not a steam generator would be able to keep it as happy as the aux. gen on a deisel. I've also wondered if you could get the same range of data collected (obviously braking and speed wouldn't be too hard, but would amperage be able to be transfered in to something like steam chest pressure??)
The questions go on and on. Has any one ever looked at this seriously before?

I'm curious about this as well. This is obviously easy enough with a diesel locomotive as the cab signal or alerter system opens PCS and creates a penalty brake application thereby bringing the train to a stop, but how is this accomplished on a steam locomotive? It should be easy enough to create a penalty brake application, but how does such a train control system restrict the locomotive from "taking power"? (I realize this is not the right term -- sorry, I'm a diesel guy!)

Ben and ATK, As far as the event recorder is concerned, the Quantum recorder's power consumption is very low and there would be a variety of options for powering it. The event recorder can be adapted to monitor most any suitable pressure transducer or hi/lo input.

On the question of how you would prevent a steam locomotive from "taking power" (in diesel terminology), this could be done too, without too much sophistication. I have seen suitable rigs used in a variety of non-railroad applications. It would require a sliding link (maybe a rod and tube arrangement) with a disconnect solenoid, applied to the existing control linkage, and a positioning device, like an air cylinder. Once the normal control end of the linkage has been disconnected by the solenoid, the cylinder would force the disconnected end of the linkage to the penalty position. The cylinder would not normally have to be connected to the mechanical linkage, it could just push against a stub welded to the linkage. If you wanted to center the power reverse gear you might want two cylinders working in opposition to each other, to make sure the power reverse goes to actual centered position. Any necessary timing for applying the control movement to "penalty" position could be provided by a small PLC or possibly even a small relay logic switching system, since you would already have suitable control voltage available. Another possibility for control of the penalty timing would be to regulate it pneumatically through the use of volume reservoirs, check valves, and chokes.

If you want to put PHW nine aspect cab signals and ACSES on the steam locomotive, you will need to find a lot of room for the card boxes, and a place to mount the transponder antenna. Lots of money would help too.

Rather than go through a lengthy(and expensive) drill as described by MXData, on the 614 we simply installed a small talgo switch on the throttle quadrant at about the 1/3 point on the quadrant and programmed it to tell the microprocessor that at that position the throttle was closed thus satisfying the systems need for a "power off" event.
As far as the real world aspects of this arrangement-with a full service penalty application the train was going to come to a very fast stop regardless of the throttle setting and the last thing one wants to do is completely shut the throttle at high speed and thus rob the valves/pistons of lubrication.
We found that it all worked very well in the real world. On one of the trips in '98 I had a home signal drop from CLEAR to ALL STOP just before we went under it and the system functioned exactly as it should have. I made a full service application while returning the throttle to the 1/3 position and we came to a safe stop. The dispatcher confirmed that it was a signal malfunction and we were soon on our way.
Ross Rowland

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