Erie steam engine with Japanese style drivers.

[3rdrail]

Chris 333, take a look at this photo of Erie Berkshire 3307, specifically at the drivers.  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-s3307lba.jpg    They are identical to the Japanese style drivers used by Kato. You might consider a Kato D51 as a start on 3307...

[Chris333]

Wow, I haven't seen or heard of this before. And that photo must be new at Fallen Flags since I have all of them saved.

I knew they up-graded their heavy Pacific's with these wheels (and a new one piece cast frame), but I haven't read about any other locomotives. Plus the photo must be older than 1941 with the old style diamond so this wouldn't really be a worn out re-build yet.

Cool! 

[Chris333]

OK how did I never notice this  ???

Went through a bunch of photos and about 1/4 of the 2-8-4's have a boxpox main driver. Some have the 2 rear drivers replaced and some have the rear 3 replaced.

3329 with all spokes:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-s3329alb.jpg
New main driver on the fireman's side:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-s3329w.jpg
2 new rear drivers on the engineer's side:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-s3329r.jpg


http://www.greenwayproducts.com/img_trucks-drivers/drivers63inall3.jpg


I need to pay more attention!

[tom mann]

Chris, did you build this already?

 

[Chris333]

Not this, but when I get to a Heavy Pacific it will have boxpox center drivers. 

[Day One]

hope you don't mind me asking this here, I have a lot to learn about steam still...

What's the advantage of the Boxpox drivers? Why did the railroads go thru the hassle of switching to them?

[Chris333]

I have only read about the Erie Heavy Pacific's. They would notice cracks in the main drivers and shop them. There they found a cracked frame also. So they rebuilt the as needed and replaced the frames with a one piece casting that included the cylinders. The used boxpox drivers as replacements because there were also cast and supposed to be stronger.

A couple locomotive got all new drivers, but mostly they would only replace 1 or 2 as needed.

Here is one at Youngstown, OH in 1948. The main (middle) driver is a "boxpox".

[3rdrail]

One of the reasons for switching to the various types of cast non-spoked drivers was counterbalance. Rather than just a counterweight opposite the crankpin, the entire driver could be weighted to minimize rail pounding, a serious problem with high speed, high horsepower locomotives. BTW, "Boxpok" refers to only one specific type, like that used on the UP FEF's and was made by one manufacturer. The drivers used on the Erie, the C&NW, and in Japan were another design. There was also a distinctive Baldwin Design, as seen on ATSF and RF&P 4-8-4's, which had ridges between the holes in the casting.

[DKS]

Here is one at Youngstown, OH in 1948...

I'm not entirely certain why, but I find myself staring at this photograph for long periods of time. There is some kind of classic timelessness about it, perhaps because it's a summarization of the transition period in a single image. I love big, brutish steamers with feedwater heaters over their brow, and the E/F cab design has never been bettered. It's compositionally great, creating a wonderful visual metaphor with the steamer in the lead but the diesels coming up from behind. And the atmospheric qualities are almost spooky, as if carefully planned, such as the cloud of steam right behind the nose of the steamer to separate it from the background buildings. I was inspired to do just a little "restoration" work.

[Chris333]

Wow David, Thanks!  The locomotive was scrapped 2 years later  :-\ That is a scan from the book "ERIE USRA Heavy Pacifics" it matched up well with this one in 1965:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/ProtoPhotos/photo#5075310982218819042
and this one from 2007:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/ProtoPhotos/photo#5075311042348361202

From the book:

In the mid 1930's, Erie purchased a number of complete Boxpok driver sets plus some additional Boxpok main driver pairs. The Boxpok was lighter, stronger and better balanced and the extra pairs of main drivers were used to replace spoked main driver which were more prone to failure, However not enough pairs were purchased to equip all engines. Serviceable spoked drivers were retained and pooled with the Boxpoks so that sets of drivers with new tires were available from stock to speed up shoppings. All three drivers were replaced at one time and engines randomly received a full set of spokes, full set of Boxpoks or a mixed set with only the main driver pair being Boxpok.



The frames were replaced later and not because of cracking. They were bolted together and would need re-tightened. This made shopping every 6000-9000 miles. With the new cast frames they could go 14000 miles.

[up1950s]

Criss , your second picture is either of a car , or the apartment building behind it . There is no train , track , or anything railroady in that shot . Trying to see if anybody looks ? ;D

[DKS]

There is no train , track , or anything railroady in that shot .

And all the sadder for it.

[up1950s]

I bet thats a shot of the fire escape and doors he is using as a guide for an etching project .

[Matthew Roberts]

That building behind the Camry is the one behind the same one behind the mail-express car, no?

[Chris333]

Yes all 3 photos are of the Erie RR terminal building in Youngstown OH. The tracks are all gone now with many buildings built over them.

Here is the other side in 1962:

and in 2007:


Other 3 photos in a row:



I like to use these photos when talking about modeling eras, photo 3 doesn't seem that much fun to model.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qvh8kk88c75d&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=24530241&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1