edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) (08/07/85)
I'm building my first model pike (in N gauge) and I read a short article
about locomotive service facilites that should be located adjacent to
ones locomotive storage buildings.
The service facility for diesel locos calls for water hoses, fuel hoses,
a wash rack, inspection pit and a SAND TOWER. The article was vague
though, and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be
used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something
to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too.
Could somebody enlighten me by mailing me a short explaination?
Thanks,
-edg
--
UUCP: {hplabs,dual,ptsfa}!well!micropro!edgron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (08/09/85)
> The service facility for diesel locos calls for water hoses, fuel hoses, > a wash rack, inspection pit and a SAND TOWER. The article was vague > though, and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be > used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something > to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too. > Sand is kept in recepticles on locomotives to be depositted on the rails to help "traction." -Ron
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (08/10/85)
> The service facility for diesel locos calls for water hoses, fuel hoses, > a wash rack, inspection pit and a SAND TOWER. The article was vague > though, and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be > used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something > to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too. > > Could somebody enlighten me by mailing me a short explaination? Sand is sprayed on the locomotive wheels when necessary to improve braking traction - especially when the rails are wet. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ | Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York | | UUCP {decvax,dual,rocksanne,rocksvax,watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry | | {rice,shell}!baylor!/ | | VOICE 716/741-9185 syr!buf!/ | | TELEX {via WUI} 69-71461 ansbak: ELGECOMCLR | | | | "Have you hugged your cat today?" | +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
pop@mtu.UUCP (Dave Poplawski) (08/10/85)
>The service facility for diesel locos calls for water hoses, fuel hoses, >a wash rack, inspection pit and a SAND TOWER. The article was vague >though, and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be >used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something >to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too. Sand is used by diesels for the same reason it is used by any locomotive (steam, electric, diesel, etc.) - TRACTION. It is put onto the rail just in front of the powered wheels to keep them from slipping when the rail is wet, when the train is going up a hill, or even when just getting the train started. The decision on when to sand used to be the engineer's, but now radar is used to detect the difference between the actual speed of the train and the speed the wheels are turning, thereby detecting wheel slippage and causing the automatic use of sand for more traction. -- Dave Poplawski Michigan Technological University uucp: {lanl, ihnp4, glacier}!mtu!pop arpa/csnet: pop%mtu@csnet-relay
braman@dataio.UUCP (Rick Braman) (08/12/85)
> The service facility for diesel locos calls for water hoses, fuel hoses, > a wash rack, inspection pit and a SAND TOWER. The article was vague > though, and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be > used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something > to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too. > > Could somebody enlighten me by mailing me a short explaination? > > Thanks, > -edg I believe the sand in the sand dome was routed by pipes to just in front of the drivers, where when dispensed by the crew it would provide extra traction. Please correct me if I'm wrong, since I'm not an expert, just a beginner:-). -- Rick Braman Data I/O Corporation Redmond, WA UUCP uw-beaver!teltone!dataio!braman
roma@uiucuxc.Uiuc.ARPA (08/14/85)
> ... and, for the life of me, I can't think of what sand would be > used for in a diesel locomotive. In steam, I imagine it has something > to do with banking fires, but I may be wrong there too. Sand is used in locomotives to provide traction. It's usually applied to the leading trucks of the locomotive by a sander valve operated by the engineer. It's most useful when starting or braking a heavy train, especially when the rails are slippery. Jon Roma Computing Services Office, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign UUCP: {ihnp4,pur-ee,convex}!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!roma ARPANET: roma%uiucuxc@uiuc.arpa CSNET: roma%uiucuxc@uiuc.csnet