MP54D Motorizied Pass Cars

Anyone have Micheal Kam's email address and can help ID this Windsor (state unknown) storage location in 2017? Thank you.

We're looking at MP54 4153, currently stored at the CT trolley museum in East Windsor.

The trolley poles allowed it to run as a trolley for a while.

I rode that car at the museum in the 90's.

ConstanceR46 wrote:We're looking at MP54 4153, currently stored at the CT trolley museum in East Windsor. The trolley poles allowed it to run as a trolley for a while.

Thank you.

Here's the cab interior: Perhaps we can ID the numbers name/function? Is #5 three individual gauges? Thanks.

Why do you need my email address? lol

Fan Railer wrote:Why do you need my email address? lol

I wanted to verify the location/provide proper credit and inquire as to the cab functions. I didn't know you were here as Fan Railer...

nyandw wrote:Here's the cab interior: Perhaps we can ID the numbers name/function? Is #5 three individual gauges? Thanks.

Isn't #5 the cab signals?

I believe cab signals is correct. The three aspects were 15, 30, MAS.

That's right (reading from bottom to top) -- now, is 11 the acknowledging pedal? And did engineers have their own name for it? Or was making an immediate brake application sufficient to forestall a penalty application without the need to acknowledge?
Another question: at that time the indications did not include Approach Medium; I believe that on passing an Approach Medium wayside signal the cab signal indication did not change until an intermediate point in the block where it dropped to 30, but I'm now seeing some posts suggesting that Approach Medium has since been added. Is that the case?

The heavy steel control panel and indicators look so primitive in the modern era. Great photo.

They were the norm on the LIRR when I started riding in the Summer of 1969, but even then the equipment when it was getting used every day was in far better condition than in this photo.

If I remember correctly, those cars that were rebuilt in that number series were the best riding MP 54’s.

a lot of very cool stuff up in east windsor

Here's what I have received thus far: Help!

1,2,3. Air brake gauges, but I don't know the order on these cars. Typically Main Reservoir, Brake Cylinder, Equalizing Reservoir, and Brake Pipe indications, two needles per gauge face on most installations, but I really have no clue for MU cars.

4. ????

5. cab signals - The three aspects were 15, 30, MAS Speed restriction lamps. There was a tiny air whistle which went off when allowed speed became more restrictive, to alert the motorman. Oops, the engineer.

6. Maybe headlamp switch, judging by position and similarity to 1930s vintage same.

7. Windshield Wiper pneumatic operating cylinder

8. Air pipe next to #8 rises to whistle above cab window, but I don't see the actuating valve, which is probably right where the supply pipe exits the interior of the cab above the window, where the whistle is mounted. If you mean the thing to the left of the number 8, that's probably the air brake control valve (minus handle which has been removed).

9. If you mean the square vertical bar to the right of the number, I'm gonna guess it's a collapsing gate for the engineer to keep from falling out the side if he chooses to leave the sliding door open in the hot summer days. Similar gates are used on most passenger cars at the end doors. If you mean the box below #8 and to the right of #10, it's a junction valve tee to connect the airbrake stand lockout valve (#10) to the air line up to the main control valve (#8).

10. Probably the lockout valve for the air brake stand, locked out when this end of the unit is not in service as a leading/controlling cab.

11. Probably dead-man's pedal (acknowledging pedal), had to be held down to avoid air brake application. Also used as lunchbox rest to relieve foot!

12 & lower key on 13, probably one is an operating key and the other is a dead-engine (or dead MU) lockout to authorize or lock out the entire control stand.

13. Throttle (controller) (bidirectional, forward clockwise and reverse counterclockwise

14/15/17. Wild guess here, but maybe one of them is the on/off switch for the cab heater (#16). Another could be the on/off switch for the overhead cab ceiling lamp. Another could be the on/off switch for the marker lamps if electric lamps were installed in this unit.

16. Electric cab heater for engineer's left knee, which is probably all that was kept warm! I remember Mark Smith's stories about how these cars leaked cold air like a sieve when plowing ahead.