Engineer for a day, 1979 photos

north pit and Cannon Ball,

Good explanations guys, thanks.

Greetings,
As note on a standing power pack that had 24RL the BC pressure under service and independant applications was lower for train handling purposes. It was about 22 psi under full service and 30 psi in emergency. This was due to a J36 relay valve versus a J1 relay on 26L equipment. The independant as shown in the photo was applied after the train had stopped and the auto. bv released. This would allow the engineer to throttle up creating a push from the the other end of the train to gently bunch the train, once the bunch was felt the ibv would be released and away you go.
KRO52

Ive run a good amount of trains in my day, but I've never heard of a timing valve and the associated gauge...can someone explain what it is and how it plays into train handling?

Greetings,
The Timing valve and its associated Timing Air guage are part of the speed control system. Basically it would signal the engineer by means of a whistle that a more restricting track speed code had occured and that the engineer must acknowledge by means of a foot operated electrical switch(acknowledge pedal), the speed change and begin to slow down within the depletion of the timing air resevoir,( a small reservoir that was part of the timing valve bracket) usually around 4-5 seconds. The timing air guage was a visual reference that would show the bleed down rate. As note timing was set to 45 lbs. If the code change was ignored when the timing air dropped to about zero psi the air brake system would self apply a full service reduction and knock down the power to idle.
Kro52

452 Card wrote:I'm with Doc, It is an ALCO FA unit with 24RL air brake equipment. The ABV handle is in "release", the independent is half-applied, the timing air is intact (far right gauge), ASC indicates "MAS" and the throttle is closed. This must be a station stop. It's probably train 507, a push-pull which ran over the lower Montauk to LIC. OMG!!!! Flashbacks!

Card: Great info and thank you. What does: "...ASC indicates "MAS" and the throttle is closed..." as far as this diagram:??




Thanks folks for the help.

Main FA page: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrFA/lirrFA.htm

Greetings,
Steve:"What does: "...ASC indicates "MAS" and the throttle is closed..." as far as this diagram:??"
Card is referring to the speedo ASC(automatic speed control) a green illuminated light is lit up at MAS (maximum authorized speed of 68mph). The throttle is in the idle position (closed).
KRO52

KRO52 and Card: Guys very helpful to name the FA power pack Cab controls. Thank you.

Here's the update at the FA unit page:
ALCO FA power pack gauges 5/79 "Engineer for a Day" Photo: Randall Loring

with the following text:

ALCO FA unit with 24RL air brake equipment. The ABV handle is in "release", the Independent is "half-applied", the Timing air is "intact" (far right gauge), Speedo ASC (automatic speed control) green illuminated light is lit up at MAS (maximum authorized speed of 68 mph) and the throttle is in the idle position "closed". This must be a station stop as the train is stopped, Speedo reads "zero", BP and ER read 110 , BC reads about 18 psi.

Any errors, OR credits required please contact.

Independent brake valve (IBV) handle is not fully applied, only just under halfway. This would read on the brake cylinder gauge as about 20-25 lbs. Why this is in this position is the result of the engineers' train handling style.
452 Card "out".

I forgot I had found a few more photos of the trip my uncle took including one of it pulling into the station so we now know it was the 602! These were prints had made, there were not on slides.

NYANDW, feel free to use these on the site.