In response to Brian NordenÂ’s posting of Thursday, 7 Aug, EL as in 14 EL does stand for electric locomotive, but was original intended to indicate double ended applications. There was also 5EL, 10EL and 12EL, with 12EL being the most common of these three brake schedules. There was also 8EL, case in point the Santa FeÂ’s FT diesel-electric locomotives (which were single-ended) and the South ShoreÂ’s Little Joe electric locomotives. Further, many earlier diesel-electric locomotives were equipped with 14EL in a single ended version. The designation follows with the engineers brake valves in the earlier schedules. Typical equipment for these schedules would be a K-14-B or K-14-F brake valve. Double ended 14EL, in the older installations, almost always used a K-14-A brake valve. This valve was ported appropriately for double ended operations.

Additional brake schedules:

DS as in 6DS stands for Diesel Switchers. Almost always used a LA-6-P type engineers brake valve and a 6-K distributing valve.

SL as in 6SL stands for Switching Locomotive, although the literature is not definitive on this. Very similar to 6BL and can be difficult to differentiate from 6BL.

Distributing Valves:

The first actual marketed Distributing Valve is the #5. The #5 Distributing Valve was used in conjunction with H-5 Automatic and SF-type Independent brake valves. This brake equipment had major defects which became apparent during emergency applications.

The #6 Distributing Valve was usually used with H-6 Automatic and S-6 Independent brake valves. This equipment had a very long production life introduced around 1906 and produced well into the 1950Â’s. This brake equipment was widely sold to the export market.

The #7 Distributing Valve was never adopted in North America. Apparently, some went to Australia and maybe New Zealand. Internal Westinghouse documents support this, but I cannot personally prove it.

The #8-A Distributing Valve was introduced in the late 1930Â’s as an improvement over the old #6 equipment. This was found on many large steam, diesel and electric locomotives built before World War II.

The #8-E Distributing Valve is intended for use on double end locomotives. The production numbers are not currently at hand.

The #10 Distributing Valve was used on double ended locomotives. This distributing valve was originally used with two H-5 Automatic and two SF-type Independent brake valves. Later, a pair of Type K engineerÂ’s brake valves were supplied. I personally only know of one locomotive equipped with this brake schedule, but there were certainly more produced.

The #12 Distributing Valve was also used on double ended locomotives. This schedule used Type K-12 engineerÂ’s brake valves.

The #5, #10 and #12 Distributing Valves all could mount on the same gasket face. The operational characteristics were very similar, since the #10 and #12 Distributing Valves were improved versions of the #5 Distributing Valve.

The #14 Distributing Valve was intended for double ended locomotives using K-14 type engineerÂ’s brake valves.

The #6 and #14 Distributing Valves will both mount on the same gasket face and work properly.

The #6-K and #14-K Distributing Valves have a number of internal improvements, and are interchangeable with the earlier designs. The #6-N Distributing Valve eliminates a number of the old design and construction practices and utilizes more current manufacturing techniques, including diaphragms and O-rings.

The G-6 Brake ValveÂ’s original designation means that it was on page G-6 of the Westinghouse general catalogues. There were several designations prior to this, including F-6. It was provided down the years with several different Feed Valves, including the Excess Pressure Valve mentioned by J. B. Bane. One version of the Excess Pressure Valve later came to be known as the A-1 Feed Valve.

A question for James F. Boylan – Is it possible that you mean the letter “S” as a prefix on small GE locomotives? GE marketed quite a variety of small straight air brake valves with the prefix “S” such as S-L1, etc. which were used on many industrial locomotives.

Common Passenger Brake Schedules

PM – P-type Triple Valve and M-type Brake Cylinder – a one-time common brake schedule dating from the late 1880’s (under a different designation). The P Triple Valve looks very much like the old H-type and K-type Triple Valves.

LN – L-type Triple Valve with N-type Brake Cylinder –Brian Norden’s comments earlier in this thread covered it pretty well.

PC – Passenger Control (maybe) – utilized #3 type Control Valves. These quite often controlled two very large interlocked brake cylinders on very heavy (and early) steel passenger cars. There were several version of the #3 Control Valve, the most common being the #3-E. The example seen by this writer was on a dining car in the Indiana Harbor Belt wreck outfit. This car was one that had the imitation wood sheathing on a steel car. Hopefully, somebody got this car.

UC – Universal Control – utilized one version or another of the U-12, U-12-B, U-12-BC, U-12-BD Universal Valve. This is a very common brake schedule after 1914, and is still in use today.

The D-22 and 26-C brake schedules for passenger cars are around yet, many on private cars. The 26-C is the current production schedule being marketed.

We can get into the Traction Passenger Car schedules at another time. I am trying to keep this somewhat simple, and short!

Dave



dgarcia@herzogcompanies.com

Thanks for explaining many things.
> A question for James F. Boylan – Is it
> possible that you mean the letter “S” as a
> prefix on small GE locomotives?
Yes, 25, 44, 45, 50, 65, and 80-ton G.E.
switchers.
When you get into trolleys, etc., "PC" also
means "Pneumatic Cam" control!



104577.651@compuserve.com

> The #7 Distributing Valve was never adopted
> in North America. Apparently, some went to
> Australia and maybe New Zealand. Internal
> Westinghouse documents support this, but I
> cannot personally prove it.

The standard brake equipment used on
diesel and electric locos in Australia (and most likely New Zealand) was the A7EL. A for made in Australia, EL for Electric Locomotive. Presumably the #7 distributing valve although I always thought that the only difference between A7EL and A6ET (Australian made 6ET) was in the brake valves (no compressor governing, sanding in emergency, and removable handles).I will check tonite. There was/is also a B7EL version that has a self-lapping independent brake valve.

Just a note:
GE13031 (100 ton, center cab, 9/41) came from the factory with a dual control setup ...what else do you call it when there are two control stands, one on each side of the same little cab. She was equipped on a 14EL schedule with a K-14-F brake valve, a 6-ER distributing valve, a M-3-A and a M-3 feed valves.

lamontdc@adelphia.net

> The standard brake equipment used on
> diesel and electric locos in Australia (and
> most likely New Zealand) was the A7EL. A for
> made in Australia, EL for Electric
> Locomotive. Presumably the #7 distributing
> valve although I always thought that the
> only difference between A7EL and A6ET
> (Australian made 6ET) was in the brake
> valves (no compressor governing, sanding in
> emergency, and removable handles).I will
> check tonite. There was/is also a B7EL
> version that has a self-lapping independent
> brake valve.

A-6-ET amd A-7-EL use the A-6 distributing valve. I wonder if A stands for "Australasia"?

> A-6-ET amd A-7-EL use the A-6 distributing
> valve. I wonder if A stands for
> "Australasia"?
Westinghouse had a manufacturing facility in Australia and developed and modified equipment for use here and in New Zealand. I'm quite sure that the A stands for Aust. made or modified. Westinghouse Australia made and sold a mixture of British and American style airbrake equipment. Until about the 1930's the standard equipments used the british style No4 brake valve and the british style 3 1/2 inch Improved triple valve.
It's only more recently that 26L and distributors have taken over.

Please write off-line about your Puffing Billy photo.

John Boykin

johncb@u.washington.edu