Hi friends,

A brief request knowing we have care takers of Russian Decapods on this board.

I am in need of good photos (especially those with publishing rights available) of the Baldwin "Russian" 2-10-0's as-built with tier Russian appliances in tact, on the Reading as class J1sa and also in USRA lease service.

The USRA service is a new one to me that I know little about, but apparently a group of "Russians" were sent around by the USRA, and stayed for a brief bit on the Jersey Central. I need to document this, so don't take it as written in stone, yet.

If you can help me on the pictures, please e-mail me at superc@monmouth.com

superc@monmouth.com

If you out the book Erie Power by Frederick Westing, published by Alvin E. Staufer, you should find the photos you are looking for. There are several of the locomotives in their early USRA lease service, with most Russian appliances, including the pilots, headlight, even couplers intact. The chapter on the 2-10-0s is also a good demonstration on how they were modified by the Erie and the NY, S,&W.

wilkidm@wku.edu

> The best source for information on the "Russian Decapods" which stayed here in the USA is to be found in Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 124. Photos of the locomotives as built can be obtained from ALCO Historic Photos and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (Broadbelt collection).
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

> J.David

I have heard tales that these Russian Decapods
several times wound up in the turn table pit due
to the throttle working opposite to American practice. i.e. The throtle was pushed forward to go forward. Can anyone confirm this?
Jim



rrfanjim@mvn.net

> I have heard tales that these Russian
> Decapods
> several times wound up in the turn table pit
> due
> to the throttle working opposite to American
> practice. i.e. The throtle was pushed
> forward to go forward. Can anyone confirm
> this?
> Jim

Not on the Frisco, at least. I can't imagine many roads went for long without changing this. It's not like you have to rebuild the boiler, just change the way the throttle lever mounts to the backhead.

Push the lever forward to go forward. What a dumb idea. No wonder they never got to the moon.

Some, if not most of the Russian Decks, did not have a backhead throttle, but had a grapevine arrangement that went to a lever on the side of the Dome.Early on I heard they just "Flipped" the dome lever.

As an aside, I was once involved in a Buisiness that sold Russion Combines and tractors, and can tell you that the word "awkward" doesn't even begin to cover their mechanical style.

lorija799@aol.com