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Air Compressor Test
http://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45001		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  mldeets [ Tue Nov 03, 2020 10:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Air Compressor Test
Here is a fairly quick video of our testing of the air compressors for C&NW #1385. This was done a couple of weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHg6m3pm1gw ...mld
Author:  PMC [ Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
Excuse me if this is a basic question, but: is one compressor for the engine brakes and one for the train brakes, or is one a primary and the other a backup? Or do they cycle?
Author:  Dennis Storzek [ Wed Nov 04, 2020 7:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
None of the above. They are piped in parallel to double the air output. The more CFM available, the faster the loco can charge the train.
Author:  PMC [ Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
Dennis Storzek wrote:
None of the above. They are piped in parallel to double the air output. The more CFM available, the faster the loco can charge the train.

Interesting. What is the reason for using two smaller compressors instead of one larger one (which would cut down on the number of moving parts)? I would guess that it makes it easier to place them somewhere on the engine.
Author:  mldeets [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
There are probably several reasons but my conjecture includes that earlier, shorter trains got by with just one pump and the Cheap & Nothing Wasted had all the parts & expertise already on hand to keep the singles running. Why invest in another type of pump? Another thought is that if one fails you still have one lung to work on........mld
Author:  joe6167 [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 5:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
PMC wrote:
Dennis Storzek wrote:
None of the above. They are piped in parallel to double the air output. The more CFM available, the faster the loco can charge the train.

Interesting. What is the reason for using two smaller compressors instead of one larger one (which would cut down on the number of moving parts)? I would guess that it makes it easier to place them somewhere on the engine.


And before you knew it, engines were being fitted with two of the cross-compound pumps.
Author:  Dave [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air Compressor Test
If anything is going to kill you out on the road it is most likely to be one of the finicky appliances rather than an axle or frame breaking, since they are more complex, require more attention and include less robust parts. Having two is insurance a well as capacity. A yardgoat or industrial power could get by with one but out on the road is a different thing. Not saying it wasn't done, especially with shortlines..... but the cost to a shortline of a delay to the daily train is less critical than the tying up of a mainline carrying many trains per day.
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