Diesel details.


DakotaLove39

DakotaLove39

Always Improvising
A few questions here.

1.
I know what anticlimbers are for, but I don't think I have ever seen one pointed out on an actual loco. Where are these placed?

2.
Am I not correct that both ends of a locomotive tend to have plows? Why is it that I see some models with only one on the cab end? Is this a traditional practice on real rail lines?

3.
I've seen diesels with a yellow/orange rotating light on top of the cab or hood. Thus far I have always believed these were used to mark locos that saw a lot of switching duty. What is the real purpose of these lights?

4.
What exactly are winterization hatches for?
 
1. The top of the pilots, level with the deck, looks like an extension of the deck.

2. Depends! If the unit is set up to fun both ways, it may. Why have two cabs, when you only need one? Sounds like an incredible waste of space to me. ;) It is traditional, its incredibly rare to find dual cabs, more so common on electrics because they don't need the extra space for all the components a diesel or steam engine would need.

3. Depends on the railroad. Some use them on switchers, some had them on units that did switch, but are now on the road, some placed them on road units...

4. To winterize! :p Seriously though, they allow the radiator to stay warmer in winter, ever seen those covers semi trucks and buses use over their grills in the winter, same idea.
 
The winterization hatches have a cover that can be opened or closed to redirect warm air from that radiator fan, back inside the car body to keep the diesel engine and accociated equipment warm. Normal seen on units that operate in lots of sub zero weather and older units. Newer diesels are able to deal with the cold weather without them. Beacons/Strobes are the bridge between the older Mars and Gyralight ocilating headlights first and some second generation diesels, and the modern Ditch lights. Each railroad had thier own perferance, GT used double pulse white strobes, CNW had amber strobes, BN used WC rotarty beacons first, then the Prime Stratolight electronic beacon, SOO had red strobes as did EJE, some railroads had nothing. The anticlimber is the extension of the frame walkway that over hangs the face of the pilot, its purpose is to help prevent the trailing unit or freight cars from overriding the unit in a collision, or keep a automobile from getting up on the nose. Most railroads have plows on just Front end, there were some expections like the NS, NW and Southern that ran long hood forward, many of those older High Hood units have them on both ends, the style varies from line to line. While they really dont do much for plowing snow, FRA mandates them to be no more than 6" above the rail head, they do good for kicking automobiles off to one side in a grade crossing collision instead of the unit plowing the car down the track till they get stopped. The short line I used to help out in the shops with had plows on the short hood end, strobe on the roof (excepting being the 2 F units we leased as they had Mars lights), and a few had winterization hatches that I got to have fun getting opened and closed each fall and spring. The old Mars or Gyralights were so much more effective than strobes, beacons or ditch lights combined. Espicaly at night as the light creates flashes in both the sky and off to each side as it makes its path. Horizontal figure 8 beam pattern for a true Mars brand light, and an circle/ellipse for the Pyle National Gyralite. Cheers Mike
 
jbaakko said:
2. Depends! If the unit is set up to fun both ways, it may. Why have two cabs, when you only need one? Sounds like an incredible waste of space to me. ;) It is traditional, its incredibly rare to find dual cabs, more so common on electrics because they don't need the extra space for all the components a diesel or steam engine would need.
Click to expand...

Uh.. I think you misread my question. It was about the plows, not cabs.
 
Some railroads (the SP was a good example) had plows on both ends even though they normally only ran short hood forward. One issue is if a local had to drop cars and the rear unit ended up being the front unit on the runaround track. You still needed to move snow out of the way if the rear unit was long hood to the rear. There were also a lot of helpers being used on Donner Pass. When they were cut off the end of the train to run back to Norden, they needed plows on both ends since the crew never knew what end would be running downhill.
 
How about the BNSF? I'm in the middle of detailing a GP38-2, and I figured the back should have the footplate/MU cradle instead of a plow, but IDK. I can never find the long end of a BNSF Gp38 to draw reference from.
 
BNSF units very very very rarely have the MU "cradle" as you call it. In fact, just about no units currently have them. It should just be a flat piece of metal.
 
Dakota, by the time BNSF came along, the FRA had mandated that footboards be removed for safety reasons. The MU cable slots were there to stow the MU cables when so a crew member didn't trip on them when riding the footboards. Once the footboards were removed, it was easier for the crews to handle the cables if they were just left hanging.

The problem you are seeing is common with most models. The GP38-2 spanned the era of footboards to no footboards. The model companies will usually not remove or add details because of the paint scheme. They operate on the reasonable theory that it's a lot easier for a modeler who doesn't want footboards and MU cable holders to remove them than for a modeler who does want them to add them.
 
My post doesn't seem to have stuck.


Anyway, based on that picture, I'm going to need to change the position of the horn. Which means I'll need to paint it's former spot BNSF orange. Anyone have a good match?
 
The plow question is an interesting one. During my research into the Rock Island GP38-2's I found that some units had plows on both ends (4310) some had one (4374) and some had none (4354). Why, what, and how I have no idea.

Proto did a pretty good job with the units but the horns are wrong for the RI and the cabs are missing the vents. I haven't gotten as far yet to check battery boxes, steps, etc.

The foot boards come off real easy from the P2K pilot with a razor board and a little touch up paint.

Good luck on your unit. Post pics when you're done.
 
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