RS-1 Development

[Chacal]

It's not, but as long as the font was invented BEFORE the transition era then it could have been used.

[Ericmopar]

I like the first one, it's reminiscent of this...

DM&IR logo.jpg

[HankySpanky]

Often, less is more. A busy logo can be distracting whereas a simple logo displays authority. I like the first logo without the ampersand. I would also suggest loosing the "lakeside line" banner - it takes the eye away from the logo.

[buzz456]

I bet about this time you're sorry you asked on this one Rick.

[ricksan]

I will make every effort to please everybody.

[Ericmopar]

Well... you know how you can second guess a test question and the second guess is usually wrong...

I like the ampersand and the "The Lakeside Line" as the company slogan.
With the AT&SF it was "Santa Fe All The Way"
With the DM&IR it's "Safety First"
With U.P. it's... well a lot.
Southern Pacific had "The Sunset Route"

[ricksan]

OK, enough on the logo already! I'm not paying attention anymore. Let's move on to something even more trivial! Actually it's something you've all been waiting for: the cab. Oh, but first...

There are a few exterior details I'd like to sort out. I haven't added them yet and I'm curious as to what they do. If I don't find out, I'll just add them as they appear in photos. Here's what I'm referring to:

• There's an inverted U-shaped pipe on the left side of the long hood. What's it for? The only thing I can think of is it's a U-bend tube like the ones steam engines use to cool air off the compressor.
• A box with a hinged top and what appears to be circular vent can be seen on the running boards outside the cab on both sides. Where a cab access door is present, the boxes are also used as a step (and sometimes only a shelf-like step is present). What are the boxes for?
• Just in front of the cab on the right side, instead of a box there's a complex casting with all sorts of pipes connected to it. Somehow it looks familiar, though not in a location like this. I'd like some other input. This is what it looks like:

Whatsit.JPG

I'm pretty sure I know what all the other stuff on the exterior is for. However, if you'd like to comment on any other exterior details of interest, this is the place.

[artimrj]

That looks like some kind of hydraulics control system. If I knew what was on the other end of some of the pipes might have a better idea what.

[BNSFdude]

The only guess I can put forward is that that's the triple valve system for when the locomotive is trailing??

[Ericmopar]

I looked all over and couldn't find any useful mechanical diagrams for that engine or it's siblings.
The only relevant comment I found on a forum, was that those boxes on Alco RS' normally contained electrical equipment, like automatic train control and batteries, but the railroads were quick to modify things and put other devices in those boxes.

I was wondering if it could have something to do with multiple unit control.

[NYWhiskey]

I'd have to go with triple valve like BNSFdude said. The engineer at the museum wasn't sure how it worked but it does vent air. The early models had it inside the cab but it was too loud so they moved it out.

[Ericmopar]

What Rich and Anthony say makes more sense than anything. I bet it is a tripple valve and it looks more complex than usual because it has to deal with both the independent and auto brake controls fitted to a loco.

[ricksan]

Triple valve was what I was thinking as well. Parts of the one in the photo look very familiar, but I've never seen one this complex.

As for the boxes and U-pipe, I'll just model them as is and move on.

[Ericmopar]

Well. After hours of research, It's probably the train and loco brake valving. This is supported by the three small lines going in towards the engineer's position in the cab. Those three small lines almost certainly go to the train brake's rotary control valve in the cab.
The other and lesser possibility, is that it's the air compressor's governor assembly.
I know Rick said he's just going to model it and forget it, but my curiosity got the better of me.

Could some of this be useful?
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/manual/s1-gen.html

[Chacal]

Maybe it's just an old pump that someone dumped on the deck and it rusted there until it fused with the engine.