DL&W East Binghamton Yard Structure

What was the structure over the engine? The other end of it it seems cut off. There is no clearance underneath for something to have been carried (note horizontal brace). The cabin hanging off is for the operator.

I do see something hanging down underneath that box structure. That would fit above the horizontal brace. So I thought maybe coal. You fill that top box with coal and then with an electric motor, head to a waiting steam engine and load the tender. I think it's at the end the original loader (note stops on end).

Any other details? Any guesses? Thanks.

Charles

I'm inclined to agree with you, it certainly looks like a coaling tower; I've also been wrong about far stranger things

DL&W had a concrete coaling structure at East Binghamton. Might be something related to the ashpit. I remember seeing an HO scale Walthers kit of a "cinder conveyor" and this structure looks similar to that kit. I'm not exactly sure, but the cinder conveyor looks to remove ash/cinders from the pit and then loads them into what I presume would be a hopper/gondola for disposal. Thats my guess anyways.

My vote would be for a sand tower.

That's a terrific picture! Are there more DL&W steam where that came from? Thanks.

My guess would be sand tower too. Too small a box on top for coal.

It looks as though there is a large metal tube (pipe) -wherein would fit an auger perhaps?- angling down and to the left of the box atop the structure. It appears to be mounted on what would be the far leg of the structure. Perhaps this was to lift the ash from the pit, but I honestly can't offer more than conjecture.

Clearly too small for coal and sanding towers normally are fixed structures in my experience (though I am no expert at all on such things) The only thing I can imagine that would need a mobile base would be the ash pit, though most of the pictures I have seen of those involve clam shell scoops.

Looking at it a little closer it certainly looks like that box is designed to move laterally, across the track width.

Looking forward to a solid, more educted than my own, opinion on this.

That's a new one on me, can't recall seeing anything similar. So this is strictly speculation.

First, the steelwork is not cut off, but escaping steam from the locomotive does give that illusion. Secondly, since it is behind the engine it's hard to get a good perspective on its height. I believe there IS room for an engine to pass under it, possibly two tracks which would explain the apparent need for lateral movement of the box-like structure.

For some reason that box suggests to me that it has a roof, and that would indicate it's for sand. Sand has to be kept dry or it will plug up in the sand pipes. Coal OTOH has no such requirement. But that sure looks like overkill for a sanding dock - that structure is built like the proverbial brick outhouse.

Surely there are other pics of East Binghamton around - would some of those show the structure from a different angle, even if at a distance?

Looks like that box on the top and maybe the booth on the side with it can move side to side across the top beams. They have end stops on them.

Edit: Oh, someone else noticed that too.

from K4Pacific

Conveyor system which is what steamtown should have (for sand).

Prior to air system, a hopper was used. Notice the cone cylinder to go into the dome.

sd80mac wrote: Notice the cone cylinder to go into the dome.

OK, I must be looking right at it and not seeing it. Help the old guy out, please!

Looks like a traveling overhead bridge crane. Possibly for unloading crates, etc. from flat cars.

Looks like an operator cab on the right (windows appear to be covered, maybe it is out of service ?).

The small box on the top is likely the winch house where drums hold the lifting cables and assorted gears control the winch function.

What looks like a "sand cone" is probably one of the upright support columns, there looks like another one just to the left of the control cab. These would normally be angled outwards to make the base of the crane wider than the top for stability.

The upper rails which the winch house (and control cab) would move along (perpendicular to the loco) appear to extend past the ends of the upright supports, a fairly common thing.

A little hard to tell how far behind the loco it really is ? I could be several tracks over and might be taller than it appears ?

Just a guess. It looks too complicated to deliver sand or coal. It might be for cleaning out an ash pit ?

Cheers, Kevin.

I think you will find it is a cinder conveyor.

BR&P wrote:

sd80mac wrote: Notice the cone cylinder to go into the dome.

OK, I must be looking right at it and not seeing it. Help the old guy out, please!

I'm just passing the message. I cant see it either. I can see 2 huge beams in middle - one of them is behind the control office. There is something underneath the area where building with roof at top of the structure is. I'm wondering if cylinder is connected to these. I'll have to clarify with him.

BR&P wrote:

sd80mac wrote: Notice the cone cylinder to go into the dome.

OK, I must be looking right at it and not seeing it. Help the old guy out, please!

I am not steam guy. How many dome did this engine suppose to have. I would guess two... there is a circular shape between the cab and whistle. It did not look like it's physically connect to engine. Would that be the "cylinder" that K4Pacific was speaking of? But again, what is it doing in front of the structure and control office?