Automatic switchers

[NW Mailing List]

Mike

The low water alarms allowed room to safely put water in the boiler before the crown sheet was uncovered. It was only set to go off if the situation demanded a response and soon. It could be tripped to test it, which is how I heard it on the 611 during the test run in Alabama in August 1982. It is a very loud, high-pitched whistle that truly will quickly get your attention. 

I’ve heard stories where engineers were taking a locomotive to get to the end of their run, and would not stop for water, trying to get in without taking that extra stop. After they dropped off the engine, the low water alarm was going off because there was so little water left in the tank. 

Ken Miller

> On Mar 8, 2023, at 1:31 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> I am so glad someone asked this question. I'd always wondered just how 'automatic' those locomotives were.
> 
>  Thanks Mike Shockley for asking, and thanks Ed and Jim for explaining.
> 
> They sure were strange looking locomotives. Was the skyline jacketing (correct term?) that was added to the top of the boiler in any way related to the functioning of the automation? Or was it simply added for style/looks to make the locomotive look more futuristic or 'automatic'?
> 
> One further question, based on Ed's comment about not trusting an automatic water level; how often did the low water alarms go off? Is that something that you would never hear sounding? Or was it set at a higher level, where it went off from time to time? Does anyone know what they sounded like?
> 
> Mike Rector