Steam & Excursion > What do these numbers and letters mean?

On the cab of a rather well known SP steam locomotive...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/14 08:00 by DTrainshooter.

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General Service, 80" drivers, cylinders are 25 1/2"x 32" stroke, 276,000 lbs on the drivers, B probably means booster equipped, and the 118 and SF I don't remember.

Posted from iPhone

flash34 Wrote:
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> General Service, 80" drivers, cylinders are 25
> 1/2"x 32" stroke, 276,000 lbs on the drivers, B
> probably means booster equipped, and the 118 and
> SF I don't remember.
>
> Posted from iPhone


118 I think is 118,000 on the booster

S- Superheater equipped
F- Feedwater pump equipped.

Everybody is sort of correct, except the additional tractive effort from the booster is 11,800 pounds tractive effort. Certainly NOT 118,000 pounds!

I wants me one of those 118k boosters.

When does the crew of 4449 use the booster? It it mainly for low speed operations?

thetrick Wrote:
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> When does the crew of 4449 use the booster? It it
> mainly for low speed operations?

I have never know "the crew of 4449" to use the booster. Engineer McCormack has had to use it a number of times, in order to keep from stalling on a grade, or to start out of a hole and ascend a grade.

Those railroads that ordered their passenger steam locomotives be equipped with boosts, were to start heavy passenger trains out of stations, or ascend grades right out of a passenger stop (San Louis Obispo comes to mind). The Franklin Railway Supply "high speed booster" was capable of use up to about 20MPH, at which point the Engineer should be pulling the power reverse gear out of the corner and that operation kicks out the booster anyway. As best as I can remember, the train speed needed to be below 15MPH prior to engaging the booster while already moving.

thetrick Wrote:
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> When does the crew of 4449 use the booster? It it
> mainly for low speed operations?


I remember it being used on the AFT a few times.

sp5312 Wrote:
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> thetrick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When does the crew of 4449 use the booster? It
> it
> > mainly for low speed operations?
>
>
> I remember it being used on the AFT a few times.

Darn right! Probably the longest period of time the booster was used was ascending the mainline grade southbound out of Danville, Va. with the AFT. The Southern Railway was short of motive power and couldn't provide a helper diesel, so "poor 4449" had to handle the whole train all be herself, in a DRIVING RAIN STORM! The booster was on continuously for probably an hour, and the booster case got so hot that the old solidified bunker C , which had dripped out of the burner from the "good old days", began smoking and added some ripe smells up into the cab.

HotWater Wrote:
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> Everybody is sort of correct, except the
> additional tractive effort from the booster is
> 11,800 pounds tractive effort. Certainly NOT
> 118,000 pounds!

Well, as HotWater said, everyone is sort of correct. Here is the official word from SP out of a booklet I recently found...it also explains how SP dealt with the whole north south east west thing with their train numbering. The booklet was mailed out in 1947.

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HotWater...Check me out on this one. When these engines were first built, they were classified GS for Golden State. Then came government war restrictions, and Washington didn't want anything too fancy for passenger service -it was moving the freight you know. So, GS (Golden State), NOW meant GS for General Service. That's what I heard a long time ago. Comments?

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> HotWater...Check me out on this one. When these
> engines were first built, they were classified GS
> for Golden State. Then came government war
> restrictions, and Washington didn't want anything
> too fancy for passenger service -it was moving the
> freight you know. So, GS (Golden State), NOW meant
> GS for General Service. That's what I heard a long
> time ago. Comments?

Correct. The SP, upon wanting to purchase additional "passenger locomotives", was told by the War Production Board, that they could not longer order locomotives that were "strictly passenger" hauling. The SP folks then reportedly tried to explain & convince the WPB that the GS-4/GS-5 class locomotives were indeed "General Service" locomotives, i.e. the "GS" class designation. The WPB responded that "General Service" steam locomotives do NOT have 80 inch drive wheels, so if you, the SP, want to purchase "General Service" type locomotives, they had better have 74 inch or LESS diameter drive wheels. Thus, the GS-6 class were delivered with 73 1/2 inch diameter drive wheels.

It should be noted that ONLY the Santa Fe and the Union Pacific railroads were permitted to purchase "Passenger Locomotives" (80" drive wheels) by the WPB, due to all the war materiel and troops moving to the west coast in order to support the war in the Pacific.

You really don't hear too much about that booster. Jack, do you have any comments about its use or maintenance requirements? No doubt it's great to have when you need it but must add to the shop work to keep it functional.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> You really don't hear too much about that booster.
> Jack, do you have any comments about its use or
> maintenance requirements? No doubt it's great to
> have when you need it but must add to the shop
> work to keep it functional.

No, not really. The only "extra work" so to speak, is that there are 2 extra oil sellers to check, while underneath servicing the main drive axles, prior to a trip. The booster has 2 support bearings, just like a DC traction motor, and those 2 oil sellers require very little attention during trips, except to occasionally add journal oil, at the same time the main driver boxes are attended to.

Great to see the Train Primer. I remember writing to every Class One railroad (I think there were around 140 in 1952) asking for whatever and receiving piles of photos, timetables, etc. back from most all of them. They had PR departments back then. I had a number of the SP primers and still have a couple stored somewhere around here. The ATSF plan books for steam and early diesel were another great handout.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> I wants me one of those 118k boosters.


You like any Boosters Mr. Booster LOL.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

HotWater Wrote:
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> sp5312 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > thetrick Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > When does the crew of 4449 use the booster?
> It
> > it
> > > mainly for low speed operations?
> >
> >
> > I remember it being used on the AFT a few
> times.
>
> Darn right! Probably the longest period of time
> the booster was used was ascending the mainline
> grade southbound out of Danville, Va. with the
> AFT. The Southern Railway was short of motive
> power and couldn't provide a helper diesel, so
> "poor 4449" had to handle the whole train all be
> herself, in a DRIVING RAIN STORM! The booster was
> on continuously for probably an hour, and the
> booster case got so hot that the old solidified
> bunker C , which had dripped out of the burner
> from the "good old days", began smoking and added
> some ripe smells up into the cab.


Another great thing about steam locomotives...they can't read (their spec sheets...)

With 4449's tender disconnected during her 1472 inspection, the booster is visible. These pics aren't that good, but show some of the steam plumbing and how close it all is to the track level.

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I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the booster and it's operation but I could use a refresher course. Would someone be kind enough to share a general overview of what the booster is, where it is and what it does? Many thanks!

Ah...just read the primer above. That gives a great description. If anybody wants to elaborate, I'll listen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/14 07:10 by switchlock.

switchlock Wrote:
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> I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the
> booster and it's operation but I could use a
> refresher course. Would someone be kind enough to
> share a general overview of what the booster is,
> where it is and what it does? Many thanks!
>
> Ah...just read the primer above. That gives a
> great description. If anybody wants to elaborate,
> I'll listen.

You might also try the "search function", as I'm pretty sure we have discussed boosters quite often, especially the operation of the booster on 4449.