MGA 67

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

Thanks Eric.

Pittsburgh Air Brake is my go-to shop. Have had nothing but excellent service from them.

That said, there will be a time when I’ll have to rebuild these valves myself. I’m gathering part numbers and knowledge every day. Interesting parallel, I’ve been rebuilding automatic transmissions in cars/trucks for a couple of decades.

Much of the operation is the same. “Pressure moves this valve against this spring and causes this action to happen”.

I also think this discussion migrated from the #6 thread. This caboose system is pretty simple. The AMM system on #6 is where I really need to study!

Mark

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

dieselloco wrote:

Kappy, what a great find! I read something about the EBT has the test benches to do older brake valves. But that caboose is "new" enough that Buncher/Multi-serve in Leetsdale Pa could do it and are great to work with also. Love the picture you found. The railroaders are surely discussing who's gonna get the blame! Reminds me of the only time I hit a vehicle at a grade crossing. A semi hauling brine from the oil and gas wells in far southeast NM swerved at the last second completely missed the crossing and ended up high centered on the tracks. My train of potash weighed 8700 tons and I was doing 27mph. The SD-50 hit the semi right at the fifth wheel and the truck didn't come apart and flung the truck and trailer into the track side ditch. The lucky truck driver survived apart from having to change his drawers! I think the New mexico DOT cop who showed up first was pissed and issued the driver and the trucking company at least 8 violations.

Thanks. It is a pretty cool old pic and part of history. Ordered a reproduction from the University yesterday. I wonder how old that Mack was that got hit. Looks pretty glossy in the picture.

Also, glad nobody got injured in your accident. 27mph with that much mass. The truck driver should be happy to make it home after that.

Mark

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

I installed a new packing cup in the brake cylinder. The brake system on this car is looking pretty good Just need some new end of car hoses.

QJdriver · **Posted:** Sun Dec 10, 2023 7:37 pm

Since nobody mentioned this before --- that brake valve is called a conductors brake stand, and is usually mounted in the cupola or by the conductor's desk, along with a single air gauge. One needle shows the trainline pressure, and another shows the brake cylinder pressure on the waycar. Not all roads used this setup, and the ones that did often only had them in mountainous regions. I think D&RGW had all their cabooses equiped with conductor's brake stands, while AT&SF (in Colorado) mostly used them on Monument Hill.

It's been quite awhile now since any road around here used waycars or cabooses, so... "corrections welcome".

jayrod · **Posted:** Sun Dec 10, 2023 8:43 pm

The EJ&E/B&LE caboose on our property also has the conductor’s brake stand in the cupola front wall. However, the adjacent gauge only shows train line pressure. It also has two emergency dump valves - one by the A end with the other at the conductor’s desk and two additional cutoff cocks with lever extensions up through the platform grates. The retainer is mounted high outside on the A end platform. Many options with which to get into some kind of trouble if you weren’t paying attention.

QJdriver · **Posted:** Sun Dec 10, 2023 8:53 pm

Before the days of train radio, the conductor could signal the head end by "bouncing" these "cutoff cocks" or "dump valves", which would make the engineer's air gauge "jump". It worked the same way if they bounced the automatic brake valve or the red handle on the head end, to signal the conductor. After they got train radio, there were times an engineer or conductor wanted to signal somebody else on the crew without everybody hearing what they were doing over the radio, so the old heads continued this practice throughout the 80s in my guesstimation.

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

Started sorting out the electrical system today.

Not sure how they had it hooked up before. Many parts and the generator are long gone.

There is 12v wiring that only feeds the flashing red lights, one on each platform. Easy to get that going again.

There’s also what seems like a 110v system. Some outlets and lights are installed.

I’ll have a battery bank powering the 12v system and an Inverter to power the 110v system. Will hook the whole thing up to a solar charger. Self sufficient.

Mark

jayrod · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2023 11:16 pm

Weird. I could be wrong but 110VAC system certainly doesn’t sound right unless the car carried a powered generator (possible but not real popular) or had a built in inverter. That’s probably a modification done by someone for shore power maybe? Strange.

12VDC, yeah I’d believe that. You’d have a generator run off an axle either by belts or a Spicer drive shaft arrangement. Look in the electrical cabinet and see if there’s a big carbon pile regulator still mounted to the wall. If so, the car would’ve had an axle driven generator.

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

Hi Eric.

It had an axle driven generator at some point. Still has the pulleys and a hole in the floor under the bunk for the belts.

I was also expecting to only see a 12v system. It does have a separate wiring system coming from under the bunk that goes throughout the car to 110v outlets and lights.

Whatever generator and regulator they used is missing.

I like the idea of having 110v on board. Will make it much nicer for Christmas lights for our holiday trains.

Here’s what it looks like now. I’ll tidy it up and replace some of the wiring.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2653

Kappy wrote:

Many parts and the generator are long gone.

There is 12v wiring that only feeds the flashing red lights, one on each platform. Easy to get that going again.

The belt-driven generator likely wouldn't help you so much as you aren't going to be running the caboose long distances at mainline speeds. The end lights were probably hard red originally, eh?

Kappy · **Joined:** Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:04 pm **Posts:** 130

PMC

The Red lights on each end have a flasher hardwired into the circuit. There’s an overhead switch just inside each door to operate them. Turn the switch on and the light at that end flashes Red. Nice and simple. One bulb is missing, that’s all the 12v system needs.

You are 100% correct about the generator and I agree with your logic. Our equipment sits more than it runs.

Sounds like a perfect candidate for solar. Charges when not in use. A belt driven generator would be of little use to me.

One of our directors has solar systems on his equipment. Works very well for how we operate.

Mark

MGA 67

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