Nostalgia & History > Hostler controls on B units

I know that some B units had hostler controls; the FT even came equipped with an extra porthole for those so equipped. Questions are these:

1. Was the throttle limited to two positions, with one being idle and the other being notch 1?
2. Was braking a simple affair with the independent brake or was something different needed?
3. Did hostler controls also mean an air horn and bell?

Thanks gang - someone will have the answers out there

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

My historical society owns an F7B (ex B&M).
The hostler control features a small controller with 8 notches
The brake is only an independent SA2 valve.
Yes - surprising to some but it does have a horn and bell.
Sorry but I don't have photos readily available of the hostler control area. If you look hard at the left side of the end in the photo you can see the single bell horn mounted vertical.

Rich

john1082 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know that some B units had hostler controls; the
> FT even came equipped with an extra porthole for
> those so equipped. Questions are these:
>
> 1. Was the throttle limited to two positions,
> with one being idle and the other being notch 1?
> 2. Was braking a simple affair with the
> independent brake or was something different
> needed?
> 3. Did hostler controls also mean an air horn and
> bell?
>
> Thanks gang - someone will have the answers out
> there

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love b units

It's really weird to see a "B" unit running all by its lonesome in a yard or shop area.

And almost every solitary A-unit is a little lonely -- and tells an incomplete story -- without a B.

But there are precious few B-units in preservation, hostler controls or no.

Hinged center porthole? Is that a 'tell' for a hostler-station F7B?

~ BZ

DD35B's had their hostler controls in the "tunnel" in the middle of the unit.
And yes they had a horn and a bell too!

> But there are precious few B-units in
> preservation, hostler controls or no.
>
> Hinged center porthole? Is that a 'tell' for a
> hostler-station F7B?
>
> ~ BZ

EMD made three types of porthole sashes -
1. the regular fixed version found on every F7, F3, E8 both A and B units
2. the hinged ones that swing out F B unit's (the middle one) and some on E units
these were only intended for ventilation with the locomotive not moving
3. the hinged ones that swing IN. Rarest and only found at the hostlers location, which is the forward porthole on the right side front end.

Thus most F7 and F3 B unit had three fixed, two hinged version #2 and one hinged version #3.
Rich

Thanks, Rich!

BZ

Here's the ALCO FB hostler control station as seen in the ALCO operator's manual. It's about 20% of the way down the webpage at http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/manual/rs2-opspro.html.

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Love that controller--looks like something from a subway car or interurban!

For what it's worth, UP 963b has hostler controls....