cab vents

[NW Mailing List]

Mr. Cochran,

In partial response to your questions, I refer again to the 1906 Locomotive Dictionary.

"Ventilator.  A hinged flap or door placed in the roof of a locomotive cab, to cause a circulation of air through it and by carrying off some of the heat, to make the temperature more endurable to the engine crew in hot weather.    See Cab Ventilator."

"Cab Ventilator. A hinged door in the roof of the cab to allow a circulation of air."

The general arrangement drawings of a "Cab Roof Ventilator" show an operating lever made of oak and attached to the back wall of the cab with a connecting rod to raise and lower the hinged flap or door.   Other parts were a shutter trunnion, shutter staple and shutter bearing.

My literature doesn't cover the clearstory as used on the 117 so I can't confirm if it provided ventilation but I suspect that it did.

W.E. Honeycutt



>     On 08/06/2021 12:42 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>      
>      
>     More questions about ancient N&W steam surrounding what I think were ways to help keep engine men from roasting up there next to the boiler.  Many photos show a "hatch" in the middle of the cab roof.  I assume this lifted from the rear and was hinged at the front creating a gap in the roof through which hot air could escape.  Guess it might have worked kinda like an airplane wing with the air going over the angled vent cover creating a bit of a draft when the loco was moving at speed.  Comments/corrections?  An interesting variation I found was with a picture and drawings of the Class I built by RMW.  They show a rather elaborate cupola structure on top the cab (see attached).  Don't know how this worked for ventilation of the cab but perhaps was analogous to the clerestory of passenger cars about which I am also unclear as to the ventilating effects.  Perhaps some more knowledgeable folks out there would share what they know.
>     Thanks,
>     Jim Cochran
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