Nostalgia & History > Key System multiple-unit operation was easy !

Hi Everybody--  Key System used to use "Tomlinson Couplers" on their transit cars.  This is where the Train Power, Control Leads, Air Brakes and Coupling were all made at the same time as the cars were brought together.  One Motorman could operate a very long KEY TRAIN.
The longest ever operated was SEVEN articulated units.  (14-cars) ...

The thing about the Tomlinson's that was kinda neat was the fact that an older WOODEN CAR,  a STEEL center-entrance car, and an Articulated Unit of 1938 design, could all be hooked together and operated by ONE guy.

Here is a close-up of one of the steel center-entrance cars on the Linden Street right-of-way..

Cheers.

KRK



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/17 14:45 by KeyRouteKen.

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Another beauty! Those Tomlinson couplers certainly were very advanced for their time.
Bob

The Tomlinon couplers were a great contribution to making multple unit operation easy.  But, let's also remember Frank Sprague who made train operation possible in the first place by developing the multiple unit control system.