More Stupid G5s Steam Questions:

[Paul]

How far out is the smoke box door hinge pin from the face of the smoke box? I need to make the hinges and I don't have that one dimention. Thanks in advance.

[RRChef]

Paul
The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked! :D

BTW, I don't have a clue!

[Dave Keller]

Paul:

Will this photo help, using known dimensions as a scale to estimate unknown dimensions?

Dave Keller

[Paul]

What a wonderfull photograph! Thank you Dave. Don e-mailed me and said he woud get the measurement off of 39. This picture only makes me have even more questions then answers. It apears that there is some gadget mounted on top of the stack. I wonder if that is a spark arrestor of some sort, a feature not in any of my drawings. Also not in my drawings is the step, at the bottom center of the smoke box face. It is also interesting to see the hydrostatic lubricator lines coming from under the boiler jacket, feeding the left cylinder. At least now I can also see what style of hand rail stansions to get!

[Dave Keller]

Hi Paul:
Glad I could be of help. Thanks for the compliment on the shot. I didn't take it myself, but it is a beauty!

That does appear to be some sort of spark arrestor, probably something required by the Village of Oyster Bay due to the nearby houses?

That step you mention isn't in the center but off to the side of the smokebox as can be seen in the following shot taken the same day from a 3/4 view.

Unless you're meaning the step across the air reservoir?

Dave Keller

[n2qhvRMLI]

Hi Guys,

I can tell you the side steps are not on #39 right now. Neither is the air tank above the pilot.

de Don, N2QHV

[Richard Glueck]

I believe it's a smoke scrubber. The device was probably applied about the same time that similar steam fed smoke scrubbers appeared in Morris Park.

Dick

[n2qhvRMLI]

73 Dick!

OK, I'll buy it, the tank is still at Riverhead awaiting the restoration. I have not seen any smokebox steps around the yard. It makes sense as it allowed the crew to easily get up and clean the headlight and number boards.

de Don, N2QHV
(still codeless! )

[Dave Keller]

I'm not an expert on the steam locomotive, however everyone I've asked, who does know about the locomotives says that tank on the front of the G5s was an air reservoir tank.

Also, you won't find the front tank for the #39 as it never existed. Only the G5s #s 20 thru #29 had those front-mounted tanks. The remaining engines #30 thru #50 had them mounted elsewhere.

These higher numbered engines, however, had what appears to be a tool box of some sort (?) that one could stand on and the curved handrail was mounted in a reverse position.

See the accompanying photo of #30.

Dave Keller

[/img]http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirrphotos/ ... l-5-37.jpg

[Dave Keller]

Let's try to post that shot again.

Dave Keller

[H.F.Malone]

That "tool box" is a cab signal relay case. The LIRR G5s had cab signal and speed control "back then".

Former 39 worker (1977-80)

[Dave Keller]

Thanx for the clarification!

On the C51sa switchers, it was actually a tool box, added in the 1940s.

I just assumed, incorrectly, that it was the same thing.


Dave Keller

[Dave Keller]

More about the access step in front of the smokebox:

The Pennsy addressed that issue when they face-lifted their K4s engines in the mid-late 1940s, as is evident in the below shot at Cold Spring Harbor in 1947.

Dave Keller

[Paul]

PRR (and LIRR) G5s, M1s and I1s were all erecting floor"contempories" of each other. Lots of common parts were shared. Smoke box front (same as class A5, B6 and C1, L1, K, M, N1, Q, (and I even bet S1 or T1 but not J1 or J1a), Cabs were the same between the G,M, and I class. Also, The I1 class was the first to have the deck mounted twin air tanks, followed by the G5 class and then carried over the the M class (except M1#4700) single air tank although that seams to have been discarded on later production G5 locomotives. As far as the post war "beutification", it only makes sence to switch where the dynamo and headlight are. Dynamos need to be oiled on a regular basis. Imagine standing on top of a hot smokebox (those were not insulated) and trying to add lubricating oil or changing generator brushes? Eeck, not me. Also, for what it's worth- M class locomotives and everything built after did not have the "s" that denoted "super heat". More useless trivia supplied by your truly.
Now if only I can get that dimention I need...

[Paul]

I was paging though Beebe's "The Trains We Rode" while at work last night and I was looking at pictures of G5s 23 and a second G5, number unknown, but was one of the G5s with the pilot mounted air tank. Anyway I know this might be crazy but it apears the the bolt pattern for mounting the smoke box front to the smoke box is considerably differant than the standard PRR practice at the time. I showed it to co-workers with better eyes than mine and they agree. Both pictures were taken around 1927. Anyone have any early G5 pictures #20-24 before 1930?