Silly question- since diesels have windshield wipers, how did steam engines clean their forward cab window while running down the track in a storm? did the engineer let go of the controls, open the window and start wiping?
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I believe the windshield wiper was called the fireman....
Not a thing you would see on a steamer with all that soot and dust blasting around. Some front ports were more door than window, and many swung inward for catwalk access and a good wiping. Otherwise I guess it was to put your goggles on and stick your noggin out the side window for a look, hence the classic engineer's photo pose.
Now that I've said that of course, many pictures of steam locos with cab window wipers will now be posted........
Originally Posted by prrhorseshoecurve:
Silly question- since diesels have windshield wipers, how did steam engines clean their forward cab window while running down the track in a storm? did the engineer let go of the controls, open the window and start wiping?
Unlike a modern diesel, the Engineer on a steam locomotive didn't have to hold onto the "controls", as there was no dead-man pedal nor fancy high-tech alertness controls. Thus, he could simply reach out and around to clean the small little window in front of him. In really cold & snowing weather, western railroads had steam heated defrosters for both the Engineer's and Fireman's forward facing windows, so that with the cab all "closed up", one could still see forward.
Also, remember that the huge flat front of that boiler, being way out front, not a lot of stuff really sticks to those small windows in front of the cab crew.
Originally Posted by prrhorseshoecurve:
Silly question- since diesels have windshield wipers, how did steam engines clean their forward cab window while running down the track in a storm? did the engineer let go of the controls, open the window and start wiping?
Many of the modern steam locomotives had a small portion of the cab door window that opened up. You open it up and peer through it.
Or you open up the side window for a quick look. It is a pain running in the rain, there's not a lot of comfort in a steam locomotive cab on a cold, rainy day anyway.
Either way, you don't have the visibility that most diesels have, the boiler tends to get in the way.
Rusty
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Originally Posted by Ed Mullan:
Here's what it looks like in the "big seat" on Western Maryland Scenic 734 as
she works up the hill to Frostburg.
Ed
Ed, I can't see a darn thing! Do you ever hang out the side window to get a better look?
Larry
Originally Posted by Ed Mullan:
Here's what it looks like in the "big seat" on Western Maryland Scenic 734 as
she works up the hill to Frostburg.
Ed
Bet they don't keep that little front window open during winter operations.
A couple of pictures from Steamtown. On a slow day you gotta have a polished bell.
Some modernized Japanese steam locos in excursion service have the circular-style wipers. Here's JR East's D51 498 with them:
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You bet they close that window in the winter! Once I was with them when we came back down the hill backwards on the end of the train, during 20 degree weather.
The breeze was blowing in the cab...COLD!
Ed
O. ginally Postedusually prrhorseshoecurve:
Silly question- since diesels have windshield wipers, how did steam engines clean their forward cab window while running down the track in a storm? did the engineer let go of the controls, open the window and start wiping?
That's pretty much what I did. 
Although I was usually doing 10 or 15 mph!
In the storms I've been in at work, the more troubling thing is all the steam created as the rain drops evaporate on the hot boiler surfaces. The windows tend to fog up from that as well as steam from the injectors occasionally when we start them while the cab windows are closed (especially our 1897 Baldwin 4-4-0 which utilizes metropolitan injectors, a very rare thing).
I usually have to at least crack the front door open to allow some cooler air into the cab. Definitely not a comfortable place to be during a storm, that's for sure.
Wasn't it good ol' all-purpose cotton waste? Got a kick out of seeing photos of such low-maintenace roads in the '50's, such as the C&NW and Pennsy, where the enginemen have reached out of the cab and wiped down the engine number - revealed by a big circular arc!
Aaron's Japanese Mikado is a tough looking customer, what with boxpoke drivers, smoke lifters, snow plow, Elesco FWH. Looks like it is all set for a Hokkaido winter! And narrow gauge, to boot!
Originally Posted by SantaFe158:
In the storms I've been in at work, the more troubling thing is all the steam created as the rain drops evaporate on the hot boiler surfaces. The windows tend to fog up from that as well as steam from the injectors occasionally when we start them while the cab windows are closed (especially our 1897 Baldwin 4-4-0 which utilizes metropolitan injectors, a very rare thing).
I usually have to at least crack the front door open to allow some cooler air into the cab. Definitely not a comfortable place to be during a storm, that's for sure.
You wouldn't be talking about #7, would you? She sure turned out beautiful.
Originally Posted by JohnGaltLine:
Originally Posted by SantaFe158:
In the storms I've been in at work, the more troubling thing is all the steam created as the rain drops evaporate on the hot boiler surfaces. The windows tend to fog up from that as well as steam from the injectors occasionally when we start them while the cab windows are closed (especially our 1897 Baldwin 4-4-0 which utilizes metropolitan injectors, a very rare thing).
I usually have to at least crack the front door open to allow some cooler air into the cab. Definitely not a comfortable place to be during a storm, that's for sure.
You wouldn't be talking about #7, would you? She sure turned out beautiful.
Yes, I was indeed talking about D&LN #7 and I definitely agree with you. Of course I can't take any credit for the restoration since I started working there just as it was wrapping up and test runs were taking place.
