Nostalgia & History > 1952 California Zephyr Rules

According to the D&RGW's Pueblo Division Time-Table No. 8 issued July 6, 1952 special rules were in effect for the California Zephyr. This Time-Table covered the former Denver & Salt Lake Railroad.
​  Trainline air brake pressure was 110 psi. Steam pressure was 200 throughout the year (the train had steam powered air conditioners).
​  The train had both electro-pneumatic brakes and automatic air brakes. Diesel locomotives 600 and 601 (the three-unit Alcos) were geared for 75 mph. EMD diesels were red lined at either 65 or 70 mph.
 

Steam was used for heat, but not air conditioning.

You are mistaken. Steam was used for air conditioning. It replaced mechanical compressors. This type of air conditioning was very labor intensive.

Santa fe used steam injection, wished they didn't , was thought was mentioned, by the guy that ordered them, but the most roads includung the CZ didn't?

Steam was used for both. Some of the western roads switched to car mounted generators for AC. The eastern roads, that used Grand Central & Penn Station had to stay with steam ejection because of the fumes under ground. That's why Atk got rid of a lot of cars when they took over because they couldn't be used system wide.

SPs air pressure was 90 lbs freight, 110 lbs passenger and 200 lb. Steam.  There were places, like the Siskiyous where you left Dunsmuir and Ashland with a 75 lb. brake pipe and then screwed the pressure up to 90 lb before you reached the top of of grade. This was a running air brake test.

Oh, the Circus train was 90 lbs. brake pipe.  We had a few hoggers that wouldn't listen and cranked the pressure up to 110.  It took hours to bleed every car.


Nudge

Southern Railway also had some cars with steam ejector air conditioning. Most streamlined cars had electro-mechanical.

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The CZ had electro-Mechanical air conditioing throughout. I believe the ATSF and MILW Road were two that relied heavily on 
steam ejector air conditioing in the modern era.   That's "steam ejector."  Most roads did not use this. 
Of course steam was used for hot water and heat.

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The CZ had electro-Mechanical air conditioing
> throughout. I believe the ATSF and MILW Road were
> two that relied heavily on 
> steam ejector air conditioing in the modern era.
>   That's "steam ejector."  Most roads did not
> use this. 
> Of course steam was used for hot water and heat.

This is correct.  The CZ did not have any Steam Ejector AC cars, only EM. 

The SOU also had many lightweight cars with Steam Ejector AC.

Very interesting thread going on right now on the "Passenger Car List" Yahoo group about steam ejector vs. mechanical A/C.
I think the subject started with what size ice blocks were used in the bunkers.  It still amazes me that you can get cool air
from hot steam.