Steam & Excursion > Whazzit? (38)

Any on you guys ever run across one of these?

-LD

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Eames vacuum brake muffler? (only on two-foot equipment in the US as far as I know)

I don't know that I've ever seen the cab window molding painted yellow.

Out 

Look closer.

Wood window frames.

rilynes Wrote:
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> Eames vacuum brake muffler? (only on two-foot
> equipment in the US as far as I know)

Yes!

But, you're on the wrong coast if you're thinking Maine.

-LD

Does appear at third glance to be varnished natural wood, good call.

Out 

Well, we quickly got the correct answer that it is an exhaust muffler for a vacuum brake, but no one has identified the location of this engine.

It is the Anacortes Railway which operated in downtown Anacortes, Wa. from 1979 to 1999, when operator Thommy Thompson died.  A quick check of Wiki shows that this little 18" gauge 0-4-4 Forney and its three coaches are still stored in a warehouse in Anacortes, owned by the City, and that the city would actually like to see it back into operation with a good business plan, but it hasn't been done.

A vacuum brake, like a straight air brake, is not failsafe.  It does not use a compressor type pump to create its vacuum, instead it uses an "ejector".  An ejector is identical in principle to a locomotive injector but instead of using it to force water into the boiler it is used to pull air out of the brake pipe.  It performs on demand, that is, it is used only in applying the brake,  there is no reserivoir.  Ejectors tend to make undesirable noise, thus the very effective muffler on the exhaust.  Brake cylinders are quite large compared to air brake cylinders.  But, then you only have a maximum of about 14 psi available force.  I could not find a picture or drawing of one, but it is generally about two feet in diameter, nearly hemispherical.  It does not have a sliding piston, instead using a leather or rubber diaphram.

Here's a picture of your present writer, with mostly dark hair then, at the controls of the Anacortes engine.

-LD

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I've ridden behind that engine, I don't remember the vacuum brake muffler. Wonder if it was added
at some point.

Out 

If you want to see vacuum brakes in action visit the Wicassett, Waterville & Farmington RR Museum in Maine.  In addition to having this beautiful Portland - built Forney, it uses vacuum brakes.  In this pic of yours truly in the cab, you can see the vacuum brake cylinder below the running obard ahead of the cab.  The vacuum steam ejector is the gizmo half hidden behind the cab door with the piece of stainless pipe.  On #9, the exhaust has no muffler -and it makes quite a racket.

My basic impression of vacuum brakes is the system doesn't lap.  It on or off.  Not the easiest thing to manipulate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/20 18:58 by Earlk.

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Earlk Wrote:
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>
> My basic impression of vacuum brakes is the system
> doesn't lap.  It on or off.  Not the easiest
> thing to manipulate.

The Anacortes engine didn't lap either.  Thompson didn't explain that to me right away, and I recall I did a litttle bad train handling.  I took a few tries till I understood it.  Once I got it, the train handles just like a light engine with an LA6P.

That's a nice lookin' WW&F engine.  Thanks for posting it, and clealrly showing that cylinder.

-LD