Dash 8 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Great picture, I didn't know that the box real exists. These are long bolts which also fix the lid at the same time, if I see it correctly. Regards Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Another pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 Jan, I believe it is referred to as a 'control box'. Don't know what is in it, or what it controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Take this, „The box on the pilot beam of 5399 is the valve gear drive mechanism, not train control. This is a common feature of all locomotives equipped with the oscillating cam form of poppet valve gear. The later rotary cam poppet valve gear had a different configuration. Also, DBHP on PRR usually means DBHP at the rear of the locomotive on the Altoona test plant, not at the rear of the tender.“ Box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 Jen, Thank You. After reading the attached info it seems not to be train control as I had originally thought, but valve control for the rotary poppets. Can see why the box is locked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 How do you know there wasn't a couple of big batteries in there to light that light .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 Good point, so far have not seen any pics of what actually is IN the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Like this ? Poppet valve Regards Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 Jan, the poppet valve control on 5399 looks quite different than the control box on the 3863, wonder what's in that one and what does it control?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 Nick, You're right as it contains the Train Control Box. On some K4's it was mounted under the running board on the engineers side. Contained the radio electronics for being able to communicate to both towers and rear end via telegraph/ telephone wires. And it also controlled the cab visual signals that coincided with the block signals via the rails. The PRR was quite unique to implement all that "back in the day." Poppet valve were tested briefly on only 1 K4 and the results were amazing! Starting about here they explain how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 3, 2022 Author Share Posted March 3, 2022 Chuck, THANK YOU, that makes a lot of sense. PRR was definitely a pioneer in many ways, yea I'm partial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 Chuck, bag of chips and bottle of soda I could watch those news reels all day, THANK YOU AGAIN. Only watched this one 2 SO FAR, a few more in my future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 Someone on another forum answered my ??. Over simplified: it duplicates the track side signal into the cab of the locomotive, ALSO allowed communications between trains, control towers and the caboose. Included in the info was this pic showing the actual relays and components. SEE NEXT POST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 This explains it better: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Great info Nick, there is actually only electrical stuff in the box, I was wrong. I'm just a layman when it comes to steam. But I also found a page with a nice picture on the subject. Box inside Regards Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 No you weren't wrong, you posted the pic of the K4 that did have poppet valve control in that same location. I understand it was the only one like that, and it showed some real potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 6 hours ago, Dash 8 said: Great info Nick, there is actually only electrical stuff in the box, I was wrong. I'm just a layman when it comes to steam. But I also found a page with a nice picture on the subject. Box inside Regards Jan Wow, what a pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 Oops. I only saw page 1 before I posted. Very cool pics here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 6, 2022 Author Share Posted March 6, 2022 I read the entire document and found it captivating. To sum it up: The signal was transmitted down the rails with AC of different cycles in blocks. It activated the wire spring relays and the resulting signal sent to the cab and caboose. Also activated an audible alarm to alert the engineer if he had to slow the train. I started in telecommunications with wire spring relays so am familiar, and may not be widly known, Disney's animated figures orignated using relays. I was told Walt lured techs from the Bell system to install and maintain the equipment. Of course today a totally different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 Hi Nick, If you haven't seen this yet, the train driver has 6 seconds to react.... PRR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted March 6, 2022 Author Share Posted March 6, 2022 Jan, THANK YOU, ya know I love those news reels. Will watch this one several times. It mentioned updates to the 'train control' that were added. The 6 second time limit to respond to the alert, the automatic train slowing feature and the tape graphic record of the trains actions. That could be considered the origin of today's Flight Data Recorders. Amazing stuff for the time period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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