I have always wondered what the extra levers on the front of 14 were for.
Here is a photo of 14 after it arrived in Arcade. I'd always heard that 14 was used on the E&LS to melt switches prior to the A&A purchasing it. That stands to reason why it would have been in relatively good shape at the time they decided to buy it. I speculated that this extra rigging may have been a flanger, plow or other attachment for snow removal. 14 did arrive with the winter cab and canvases. Looking at the picture though, the connecting rod going up the engineer side doesn't look too heavy duty.
I finally found a good photo of 14 with the plow mounted on the front, so this is indeed what it was for!
E&LS 14 at Wells, Michigan 10/2/1956
You can also see that there is an extra steam line that runs out of the dome and down to the running board. I can not see from this photo where it then goes. This extra line out of the steam dome is where 14's 2nd whistle was hung while on the A&A. (There was another discussion some time ago about the various and multiple whistles used on her). There are some heavy duty chains holding the plow over the front pilot or cow catcher. It was pretty common for steam roads to place plows over the fronts in snowy conditions. I have shots of Erie trains doing this.
In fact, the A&A also did the same, however with out the extra rigging and ability to raise and lower it. Makes me wonder if the E&LS used this front plow like a flanger to clean between the rails also. In that case, you would have to raise it for switches and crossings.
A&A #6 at Arcade in 1945
Enjoy,
Pat
Here is a photo of 14 after it arrived in Arcade. I'd always heard that 14 was used on the E&LS to melt switches prior to the A&A purchasing it. That stands to reason why it would have been in relatively good shape at the time they decided to buy it. I speculated that this extra rigging may have been a flanger, plow or other attachment for snow removal. 14 did arrive with the winter cab and canvases. Looking at the picture though, the connecting rod going up the engineer side doesn't look too heavy duty.
I finally found a good photo of 14 with the plow mounted on the front, so this is indeed what it was for!
E&LS 14 at Wells, Michigan 10/2/1956
You can also see that there is an extra steam line that runs out of the dome and down to the running board. I can not see from this photo where it then goes. This extra line out of the steam dome is where 14's 2nd whistle was hung while on the A&A. (There was another discussion some time ago about the various and multiple whistles used on her). There are some heavy duty chains holding the plow over the front pilot or cow catcher. It was pretty common for steam roads to place plows over the fronts in snowy conditions. I have shots of Erie trains doing this.
In fact, the A&A also did the same, however with out the extra rigging and ability to raise and lower it. Makes me wonder if the E&LS used this front plow like a flanger to clean between the rails also. In that case, you would have to raise it for switches and crossings.
A&A #6 at Arcade in 1945
Enjoy,
Pat