January 2018
Sorry, from now on at least a Month without. I promise.
1) PRR E2b GE built full AC test locomotives. No ladders but clearly the PRR nose with the mentioned classification light clusters. The European machines really were PRR rather than what is commonly thought of as Baldwin/Westinghouse machines as far as external design is concerned. But the absence of those ladders is strange in the light of the fact that otherwise PRR appears keen to provide easy access to the roof space of their electrics. Or even diesels.
2) Sent the picture before, but it is just to show the alternative arrangement to roof ladders: the bell-pull next to the front cab. Follow the wire and you end up close to that sort of can on the roof. Would that be an automatic overload circuit breaker?
3) NS 1200 cab, driver’s position.
4) RENFE 278 cab, driver’s position. Look at the train brake valve, incidentally. It is a combined air and vacuum valve and is fitted vertically, as I noticed in the case of a number of South American locomotives as well. I know that on British steam locomotives the brake valve in the days of vacuum brakes was fitted like that. But the power control tower for the left hand is undeniably the same as the one on the Dutch 1200. Top weak field Full field switch, lower the power-notch handle. The forward/neutral/reverse handle is lower down again, have a look at the Dutch version. It is the opening behind a pink button with the sign: kwiteren.
Another bit of Ruminating on Railways 