Nostalgia & History > air brake repeater cars

In the 1960's or 70's, I believe it was Southern RR that used air brake repeater cars back in the train to supply brake pipe air. I'm guessing they worked like a DP unit with a feed valve & Mr function only. Does anyone remember these or know how they worked or were controlled?

Southern Pacific had some as well... check out:

http://espee.railfan.net/rac.html

I'm not familiar with air brake repeater cars, but they had box cars that were converted to radio 'reppeater' cars which, if in use, would have an unmanned locomotive attached to it. It was DPU before DPU was cool. It helped with handling the air on longer trains in hilly country. This guy makes a model of one www.wrighttrak.com/souradiocar.htm

I think BN and CN have used air brake repeaters, too.

Here's a patent that might apply to your question:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2007/0120417.html

I remember watching the Asst. Supt. Mech. at Tucson, running along side a 200+ car west bound frt. train leaving town, pointing out sticking brakes to several carmen who were running and bleeding off brakes. The train had a repeater car and someone or someones were determined that it was going to work. After the "Show", I asked him how the train crew was going to cope with this situation out on the road. He said, "That's their problem. They told us to get it out of Tucson."

When I went through Locomotive Engineer training down in McDonough, we got the full lesson on the repeater cars, but it wasn't anything we would ever use. We also learned how to run the old Southern style remote units. Very interesting and we got to have fun with them during our free runs on the stationary sims. Doubt that is even taught now or allowed, since that is long gone technology.

Hello

Its intrusting because train with DPU units do this.

Chris

SP used them for a couple of years on mostly Sunset Route trains that were over 120 cars.. and on Modoc trains in the winter because of the extreme cold temps ( for SP) 1976-77

javelina Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I remember watching the Asst. Supt. Mech. at
> Tucson, running along side a 200+ car west bound
> frt. train leaving town, pointing out sticking
> brakes to several carmen who were running and
> bleeding off brakes. The train had a repeater car
> and someone or someones were determined that it
> was going to work. After the "Show", I asked him
> how the train crew was going to cope with this
> situation out on the road. He said, "That's their
> problem. They told us to get it out of Tucson."

Sounds like typical SP Co.

Jieshi

'intrusting' = interesting

they must have used a diesel engine or two, to run the compressor(s).