What is on this roof?

[Chris333]

A depot I want to model. At first all the blurry photos I had looked like there were 2 smokestacks, but then I got a better photo.



A few other depots that follow the same design also have it:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/STMaBHasfNa1j5To6

I see the conduit running down the side of the building and the face looks like something round. I though it was some kind of cooling device. The guy who gave me the photo thought it was a clock.

Anyone know?

[Chris333]

Another depot

[Chris333]

Another
https://www.west2k.com/papix/hummellhandbtm.jpg

[Scottl]

The last one looks like tar paper.

[peteski]

Maybe a clock with no hands? 

[C855B]

Maybe a clock with no hands? 

Yes. A timeless design. 

I keep thinking it's a fan of some sort, maybe an exhaust fan?

[wcfn100]

The location on the depot makes it feel like some sort of train order board, but I couldn't begin to explain how it would work.


Jason

[AlwaysSolutions]

I tried my best Google-Fu moves but got nothing.  All I can tell is that it seems to be a specific thing to the Huntington & Broad Top, as I found a few of their smaller depots have this.  No front-on images though.  Now I need to know, too!

Mike

[nkalanaga]

Jasdon:  Maybe the disc rotates on a vertical axis?  As show, it would be "no orders".  Turned 90 degrees, it would be "stop for orders".

I would think a less obstructive frame would be better, but it's the only thing I can think of.

[Spades]

Long shot illuminated logo?

[nickelplate759]

on a lark, I asked ChatGPT. 
I asked it:
what is the device mounted on the roof of the Hundington and broad top mountain railroad station in this picture?

Here's what it said (I'm not sure I believe it):

From the photo, the device on the roof appears to be a rotating roof ventilator (often called a turbine vent or rotary ventilator) rather than a signal or communications device.

The key clues are:

It is mounted on a short roof curb near the ridge.
The visible circular opening with curved internal vanes is characteristic of an early rotary ventilator.
It has a square hood or cap above it to keep rain out while allowing air to escape.

Railroad depots of the late 19th and early 20th centuries commonly used these to ventilate:

waiting rooms,
ticket offices,
baggage rooms, and
especially rooms heated by coal or wood stoves.

As warm air rose, the wind would spin the ventilator (or simply create suction in some designs), drawing hot, smoky air out of the building.

What it probably is not

It doesn't resemble:

a train-order signal,
a whistle,
a bell,
a lightning rod,
a siren, or
a telegraph device.

Those were mounted and shaped quite differently.

One interesting possibility

This ventilator appears to be an older "Globe" or "Flettner"-style rotary ventilator that was popular on railroad buildings around 1890–1930. Many H&BT stations had coal stoves, making roof ventilation important during winter operations.

[nickelplate759]

A little more prompting, and ChatGPT suggests that it's likely made by B. F. Sturtevant, and ultimately faked up some images that looked like they could be catalog pictures from circa 1900.  I know they were fake because it admitted they were fake when I asked.

[Chris333]

In the early photo of Everett the depot has one as well.
https://www.west2k.com/papix/everettpass.jpg

[Chris333]

I swear ever since switching to AI every search engine is a complete ***** show.

[C855B]

A little more prompting, and ChatGPT suggests that it's likely made by B. F. Sturtevant, ...

A clue. I found this, where the "conduit" could have actually been a steam pipe: