I have heard a story that someone once heard an Electric Motor (a P5 if I recall) zip by and he swears it was not a Brass sounding Bell but rather the same Clunking sound heard on a J Steamer that he remembered in years earlier.
#Pr2281 bird bell series
Talking with Elmer S., he has come to the conclusion as well, that the J series was the only PRR Locomotive to have had Steel Bells applied when built. Sadly, no numbers of any locomotives is present like many Brass Bells have. The end result was an exact copy of a PRR Brass Bell. It is clean and did not need grinding of any kind. This weld bead is plainly seen on the inside top. Then another piece, I will call the "cap and cone" which does appear to be a steel casting, was welded to the top of the previous fabrication. They were then welded together and the seams ground smooth, inside and out. The Bell was assembled using 2 pieces of flat steel rolled into two halves, forming the Bell shape.
It was surprising to learn that the Bell was fabricated from Steel Plate. These war time Bells were not Cast Metal after all as I once thought. An hour later after taking it home, thorough inspecting revealed something I never knew. I needed little convincing to purchase the Bell. I also knew that during the war the PRR used non-brass Bells on one class Locomotive. Knowing how a PRR Bell was shaped was a dead give away. I went to inspect them and sure enough, the one was from a PRR Loco. The fellow who told me mentioned that they were not Brass and a tag on it said they came from a PRR Loco and another bell said a NKP Loco. Several years ago I was informed that a local antique shop in my area had some Bells for sell. I would like to explain what I have learned, more or less thru proof of an actual non-Brass PRR Bell in my collection. However, the term "cast iron" is incorrect. Pretty much all mentioned was correct as I can determine. I would like to correct the fellow who gave the history on the PRR Bells if I may. were stolen from these locos! (And although I don't ever condone stealing railroad property, I must admit I now wish I at least had a few bells and number plates to look at!) The people coming onto the property to steal bells, whistles, number plates and anything else they could get their hands on, got so bad that they started having a PRR cop doing shifts around the clock to stop the stealing!īut before they got it under control many, many bells etc. yard right beside them all had rows and rows of dead steam engines parked on them. Tracks #264,289,291 and 288 (all stub tracks) as well as the majority of the old P.O. In the days of retiring the steamers, their were many steam engines stored behind (to the North West of) the roundhouse at St. Just some information to anyone that's interested:Īl said: "However, as the Railroad always had had a policy to salvage bells from steam locomotives when they were disposed as scrap, there was a substantial stockpile of them at Altoona and Columbus to be used as replacements, when needed." Those applied to the class E44 and E44a electrics were formerly standard bells from steam locomotives. Except for the three early units built at Altoona in the 1920s, I don't believe any diesels had standard PRR bells.Īs far as I know, all electric locomotives had brass bells, as did MP54 passenger equipment and track inspection cars. Both brass and cast iron were used, but I do not know which classes had which type. If any other classes had them, they would have been replacements.īells on diesel-electric locomotives were not the same size or type as used on steam power. I believe only classes J1 and J1a had iron bells, as built. However, as the Railroad always had had a policy to salvage bells from steam locomotives when they were disposed as scrap, there was a substantial stockpile of them at Altoona and Columbus to be used as replacements, when needed. Though bell stands and related components varied in design, the actual bells were standard in size and shape, except on certain odd classes acquired by subsidiary roads, in which cases, the bells were not supplied by the PRR.ĭuring WW2, due to wartime restrictions on metals, cast iron was specified as the material to be used for bells. I don't have that issue handy, but will tell you what I can.Īll steam locomotives of the PRR and its subsidiaries had brass bells. Within the past four or five years, there was an in-depth article on bells in The Keystone.
I asked the Society's steam locomotive authority about this. One of the earlier threads had a question on steel vs.
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