Steam & Excursion > Scooping Water

Gottfried Heibesen caught the 5342, a 1918 Juniata K4s, refilling its tender at Glenolden in 1925.
Photo credit the Library of Congress, Bruce Fales collection
Be of good cheer,
—Mac
www.lowellamrine.com

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Looking at how far the spray went to the side, there was probably a very wet photographer of this image.
Bob

refarkas Wrote:
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> Looking at how far the spray went to the side,
> there was probably a very wet photographer of this
> image.
> Bob
Actually, from what an old engineer told me, the most important thing was for the fireman to know exactly how far they had to scoop the water as if he did not retract the scoop on time, a lot of damage could have been done to the scoop and tender.  I am too young to ever have seen this in action but I cannot imagine just how this worked without any problems.  I have never seen any movies showing this happening either.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Very interesting to see the PRR scooping. One of my uncles was fired off the SOU from Shopcraft strike activity, and he wound up as a boomer fireman on both the PRR and the B&O at the time of the pic. He later told me and the SOU about scooping water. We both were interested. The SOU considered it. The SOU sent my uncle to observe the NYC scooping.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/26 09:50 by Notch7.

ClubCar Wrote:
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> refarkas Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looking at how far the spray went to the side,
> > there was probably a very wet photographer of
> this
> > image.
> > Bob
> Actually, from what an old engineer told me, the
> most important thing was for the fireman to know
> exactly how far they had to scoop the water as if
> he did not retract the scoop on time, a lot of
> damage could have been done to the scoop and
> tender.  I am too young to ever have seen this in
> action but I cannot imagine just how this worked
> without any problems.  I have never seen any
> movies showing this happening either.
> John in White Marsh, Maryland

I learned from a number of the "Old Heads" on the NYC, back in 1964 while on the EMD GP35/DD35 Demonstrator set, that the REAL damage was to the end of the track pan, i.e. NOT the massive scoop assembly on the tender. The Engineer would wave to the Fireman, who stood on the deck of the tender where the air operating lever for the scoop was mounted, when to lower and then when to raise the scoop. 

Read somewhere (Trains maybe) that eventually rails were placed at the end of the pan to close the scoop and protect the end of the track pan, but this was on Fort Wayne so not sure if it was universal.
—Mac

HotWater Wrote:
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> I learned from a number of the "Old Heads" on the
> NYC, back in 1964 while on the EMD GP35/DD35
> Demonstrator set, that the REAL damage was to the
> end of the track pan, i.e. NOT the massive scoop
> assembly on the tender. The Engineer would wave to
> the Fireman, who stood on the deck of the tender
> where the air operating lever for the scoop was
> mounted, when to lower and then when to raise the
> scoop. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/26 11:01 by MacBeau.

ClubCar Wrote:

> I have never seen any movies showing this happening either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yXJYAMybjI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aupC20Zgxl4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD5z0pN58_M

Interesting video, thanks for sharing those links.
—Mac

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yXJYAMybjI
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aupC20Zgxl4
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD5z0pN58_M