Been staring at a lot of locomotive plans recently and keep seeing booster engines on the J1A trailing trucks and have been wondering how they worked? what transmits the steam energy too motion since there doesn't appear to be a cylinder or rods or a turbine arrangement. Did this add that much tractive effort on start up or just at speed ? I know you would know and could use a little schooling on the subject thanks. Terry A.
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I remember having a very informative discussion about boosters back last year. You might try the Search Function, so that we all don't have to go through all those postings again. I remember someone even provided a link to technical drawings & information from Franklin Railway Supply, the manufacturer of the trailing truck boosters.
Off hand I can not remember how much starting tractive effort that the booster supplies, but it is over 10,000 pounds TE, and THAT is significant when starting heavy passenger trains. I know from first hand experience, that the booster on 4449 has bailed us out of a pinch on a few occasions.
Go to wikipedia.com and search booster engine. there is a fine cutaway of a. franklin Booster.
Also, at the bottom of the wiki page there is a link to a pdf document Franklin Type C2 Booster engine that has a lot of information on the operation of the booster and the mechanics.
PDF is listed under the "References".
Larry
Thanks so much got some new reading to do I'm off to the races. I knew you would know
there doesn't appear to be a cylinder or rods
There are indeed cylinders, pistons, rods and valve gear:
Th lengthy and informative discussion from last year about steam locomotive Booster Engines is here.
Th lengthy and informative discussion from last year about steam locomotive Booster Engines is here.
Thanks a bunch Rich! I sure didn't want to go through all that again.
No problem, pardner. That's why I get the BIG BUCKS...
If you go here:
https://ogrforum.com/t...15#18746738019309615
I mentioned a link to a book "The Locomotive Booster". In the link there's another link that will give you the PDF file for the book so you can download it (117 pages or so).
started reading last night and now gonna download the pdf and read till I have to go to work tonight. The side view diagram showed none of the trailing truck details and I don't have a overhead print but now I do. Thank you all once again. Terry A
Terry, I did add the booster to my SAL Q3 Mike, but I really have to look hard to see it and had to bend some piping outwards so the trailing truck wouldn't get bumped off the rails. Without the tender it can be seen from behind. On the other hand, it does add some weight to the trailing truck and probably helps keeping it on the track if nothing like the piping get in the way.
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