GE PCC cushioning contactors needed

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 10:00 pm

I have a request:

An organization is looking for one each of a C1 and C2 cushioning contactors. This is to finish the operational side of a restoration of a GE equipped PCC car. Any leads would be appreciated.

Dave · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 10:45 pm

Upholstery vendors?

dave

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 10:47 pm

We tried that route. The foam rubber tends to smolder when DC voltage is applied.

Mike Tillger · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 6:04 am

David, what is a cushioning contractor???

NYCRRson · **Joined:** Fri Aug 20, 2010 8:25 pm **Posts:** 512

David, perhaps you are looking for a "contactor", a term for a high current electrical relay ?

Does a cushioning contactor act to "ramp down/cushion" the motor current for a gentle stop ?

Kevin.

Randall Hicks · **Joined:** Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:44 am **Posts:** 154

I always run into the same problem myself. Stupid spell-check wants to change contactor to contractor.

Mike Tillger · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 8:34 am

Perhaps these folks may have what you are looking for:
http://www.brookvillecorp.com/streetcar-division.asp
Mike Tillger

Dave · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 9:03 am

Well, that would make more sense. I'm sure there are many contractors capable of reupholstering seat cushions in the St Louis yellow pages. Contactor, however....probably there's something off the shelf in industrial supply that would do the job if an original can't be found. Unless the cars suspension is an air bag of some sort, in which case maybe some specialized spring compressor or a big vacuum pump.......I'm ignorant of PCC era modern technology.

dave

NH0401 · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 10:20 am

GE model #, photo ?

EDM · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:08 pm

Mike mentions Brookville. I looked at their site, just out of curiosity, and saw that they mentioned Westinghouse streetcar equipment. I wasn't aware that Westinghouse was still in that business. Industrial contactors might be usable, but getting them with DC coils and the appropriate arc chutes for DC may be difficult.

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:21 pm

Randall Hicks wrote:

I always run into the same problem myself. Stupid spell-check wants to change contactor to contractor.

This is why one shouldn't post to RYPN when on the back patio, watching the sun set across the valley, sipping an adult beverage I picked up on my last run to Wyoming.....

I changed the post to accurately reflect what I was looking for.

As for the seats in the car, when I visited last Christmas, they had most of them installed and they looked very good, thanks to a good, local cushioning contractor.

Dave · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:23 pm

There's still some DC industrial uses out there. The elevators in my building, for example, and rooms full of battery backups for our UPS systems.

dave

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:26 pm

The industrial route is an option, but it's a fairly common component that there should be enough spares out there to not have to reinvent the wheel.

Working on getting parts numbers for the fellow interested forum members.

Bob Davis · **Joined:** Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am **Posts:** 1025

If it's not something that needs to be kept confidential, which car is this?

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 9:10 pm

Bob Davis wrote:

If it's not something that needs to be kept confidential, which car is this?

St. Louis Public Service 1743 at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.

The parts needed (with part numbers) are:

C1 - 17CM42H3, 4739328, 17AF20B29
C2 - 17CM42H1, 4739326, 17AF20B40