I was watching "The Great Locomotive Cahse" the other day and this question came to mind. When the Strassburg RR rebuilt the William Mason, did they add any type of airbrakes? I remember seeing the Mason at the B&O Museum about 4 years ago, and I recalss that it didn't have brakes. If they did add them, how did they hide them. Also, if they didn't, what do they use to stop the locomotive? <br>



wilkidm@hera.wku.edu

As it is, the Mason might not have had air brakes when the film was shot. Older locomotives like it were usually equipped with fender brakes, which contacted the driving wheel tires when applied. Reversing the drivers was also used to brake the train. You'll note that in many scenes of the movie, the locomotives were stopped by reversing them. That was probably due to a lack of air brakes. After all, the LaFayette was operated without air brakes or other modern safety appliances (under exepmtion from the FRA) for the movie "Amistad." <br>



envlink@voyageronline.net

Does she have air brakes now? If so how well are they hidden?<br>



wilkidm@hera.wku.edu

This past April I had a cab ride on the William Mason during the B&O Museum's Live-Steam Weekend. Engineer Harold Dorsey was quite apt in stopping the train (the Mason along with a bench-fitted flat car and a 4-wheel caboose) using the reverse lever. No air was in use on the train. If I remember correctly the tender has air brake equipment fitted, but the locomotive does not have a compressor.<p>Regards,<br>Jim Robinson <br>