1920 Rural Retreat Wreck Photos

nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Wed Nov 17 08:04:50 EST 2004


Gordon,

    I have no knowledge of the steam locomotives equipped with the train control.  However, when I first started with N&W in 1963 as an apprentice electrician, I remember testing a couple of the "Redbird" passenger diesels that had what was called "automatic train control".  We used what looked like  tuning forks to activate a device under the brake rigging and it would initiate a penalty application of the train brakes if not acknowledged.  The train control equipment was located on the long hood right side just in front of the cab window at the end of the walkway and outside the carbody door that opened to the generator.  I was never told where they were used.  Were these units used on the "Cannonball" to Richmond?

Skip Salmon
--
Skip and Judi Salmon 
3721 Buckingham Drive 
Roanoke, VA 24018-2448


-------------- Original message from nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org: -------------- 


> Pete, 
> 
> The Cannonball's operated over the ACL between Petersburg and Richmond. 
> Because that line of the ACL was equipped with a type of automatic train 
> stop not installed anywhere on the N & W, any N & W locomotive operating 
> over that line had to be specially equipped with the ACL automatic train 
> stop mechanism. To minimize costs, only a limited number of N & W 
> locomotives were so equipped in order to provide the Cannonball service. 
> 
> Published photographs in Prince's and Reid/Lewis' books show the 120 and the 
> 122 in the vicinity of Richmond with the Cannonball, so these two 
> locomotives must have been equipped with automatic train stop. There may 
> have been another one or two also. 
> 
> Maybe others can confirm this or give more details. 
> 
> Gordon Hamilton 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: 
> To: "N&W Mailing List" 
> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 4:38 PM 
> Subject: Re: 1920 Rural Retreat Wreck Photos 
> 
> 
> > Thanks - I should have remembered that none of the K-1s were 
> > streamlined - too lazy to look it up in the books. 
> > 
> > (TAN However, wasn't there a K2 or K2a that was known for handling the 
> > Cannonball every day for some years? (The 120?) It was kind of a demo 
> > that steam could have high availability like the diesels, IIRC. 
> > 
> > pete groom 
> > On Nov 14, 2004, at 3:37 PM, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org wrote: 
> > 
> > > Both were rebuilt to service. 558 was retired and scrapped in June of 
> > > 1952. The 102 was a K1, (100-115) none of the Class K1 were 
> > > streamlined, only K2 (116-1250 and K2a (126-137) were streamlined. The 
> > > 102 was retired and scrapped in October 1957. 
> > > 
> > > Ken Miller 
> > > . . . 
> > 
> > ________________________________________ 
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> 
> 
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