Long shot... [SOLVED]

If it is plastic, it would not be off the MTH engines.

The bend at the end makes me think maybe I'm wrong here, but have you checked hose details on the diesel pilots? 

It almost looks to the the right length, assuming the end at the top of the picture is the top and was glued into a pilot and then exited pointing downward towards the track. 

Again, that little bend at the end gives me pause, but it's probably at least worth a look if you haven't already considered that.

-Dave

  When I find stuff like this I ad it to the junk pile on the layout. That way I never regret throwing it out. And I know were it is.

@rplst8 posted:

Anyone have any idea what this goes too? 

 

Found it on the floor under my work bench.  Looks like a piping detail from a steamer.  Looked all over the ones I've been working on recently, but nothing obvious is broken. Jet black, painted plastic.

Recent things on the bench:
MTH C&O Allegheny
MTH PRR M1b and an I1s 

Diesels:
Atlas Master Series PRR SD35
Lionel Legacy PRR F7 A-A set

It's so weird, you drop a 00 Philips head screw and it vanishes into another dimension, then stuff like this appears out of nowhere.

Been scouring photos on the web of things I own to ID it, lol. 

Look for steam coming out of a boiler.  Or maybe a house on the layout that is flooded due to a broken pipe.  

@Bill DeBrooke posted:

If it is plastic, it would not be off the MTH engines.

Sometimes a plastic bit of detailing will find its way onto a die-cast - or brass - loco. There are places that plastics such as Delrin (maybe others) will flex rather than break or bend when used for a delicate piece. 

It is the piece that attached to the front of a PW steam loco.  Part of the old smoke units.  The actions of the wheels allowed this to push a bell shaped object which in turn puffs smoke.  I know this because I had a devil of a time getting a 2037 steamer back together.

@necrails posted:

It is the piece that attached to the front of a PW steam loco.  Part of the old smoke units.  The actions of the wheels allowed this to push a bell shaped object which in turn puffs smoke.  I know this because I had a devil of a time getting a 2037 steamer back together.

Somehow i doubt it. Blowing up the pic shows too much piping detail to be TY hat bent piece of metal that pushes the plunger.

I'm more in favor of piping detail on the diesel pilot. Has the o.p. checked his Atlas O diesels for the correct number of air hoses?

All of the Atlas diesels have pilots like this (the coupler cut bar and front steps are removed since I was working on them.  

Mystery part in front for scale. 

Solved! 

Looks to be the hose coming from the air tank below an F7 A unit.