Anyone know what this steam loco part is?

[ATSF_Ron]

I am by no means a steam loco expert, but I have several. They're a mix of oil and coal burners.  On my UP coal burner there are these 55 gallon like contraptions under the cab on both sides.  Since this one's a coal burner, my guess is they are some type of ash pan device maybe?  I've only seen them on the coal burning UP 2-8-0s in my books on UP steamers.  Nothing like this that I can find on the bigger steam locos.  Am I on the right track, or are they something completely different?

Thanks,
Ron

[Lemosteam]

I am by no means a steam loco expert, but I have several. They're a mix of oil and coal burners.  On my UP coal burner there are these 55 gallon like contraptions under the cab on both sides.  Since this one's a coal burner, my guess is they are some type of ash pan device maybe?  I've only seen them on the coal burning UP 2-8-0s in my books on UP steamers.  Nothing like this that I can find on the bigger steam locos.  Am I on the right track, or are they something completely different?

Thanks,
Ron

Those might be air tanks. The PRR had pairs on either side under the cab on small switchers in a similar fashion.

[wazzou]

Septic Tank.   

Sorry,    I don’t know what they are either.
I’ve seen them on some models but none on prototypes that I’m interested in.

[Chris333]

No idea:
https://pixels.com/featured/uprr-6264-baldwin-built-harriman-standard-2-8-0-with-tender-hdr-mark-valentine.html

https://www.steamlocomotive.com/whyte/2-8-0/USA/photos/up6264-glueck3.jpg

Wonder if it is coil for the heating the feedwater system?

[StarCruiser]

Probably air brake related - reservoir or equalization tank.

[Chris333]

All the photos that have the tanks under the cab also have regular looking air tanks under the running boards.

[ATSF_Ron]

Wazzou, that’s FUNNY! 🤣🤣

Chris 333, those are great close ups 👍🏻

[mmagliaro]

The PRR used those all the time, and they were additional brake air reservoirs (so yes, they had these "55 gallon drum" looking tanks under the cab as well as the horizontal tanks along the running boards. )   I would assume they are for the same purpose on your engine.  Why they needed 2, 3, or 4 tanks on a particular engine, I do not know.  But I would assume they just couldn't get enough air reserve in a single tank in a convenient place.

[wazzou]

Were they more common in mountainous territory or in helper service?

[mmagliaro]

I'm afraid on the UP, I'm useless to you.  But the PRR had those big tanks on 0-4-0, 0-6-0, and 0-8-0 switchers that would certainly not be working "mountainous" territory nor would be helpers, and on 2-8-0's.  If anything, the only "pattern" I can see to it would be that they didn't use them on engines with a trailing truck (because there would be nowhere to put the tank). 

[wm3798]

Perhaps they were needed on switch engines since all that back and forth required more braking than a road engine might require?

Just a shot in the dark...

Lee

[robert3985]

These vertical tanks on a lot of UP Consolidations are known as "Old-style vertical air reservoirs".

Many UP Consolidations retained these until they were retired in the late 1950's, while others were removed and replaced by horizontal high pressure tanks under the engine running boards.

I've seen photos with both types of tanks attached on the same engine.

Photo (1) - UP Consolidation with old-style vertical air reservoirs in switching duty at Ogden Yard:


Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Tristan Ashcroft]

It's either a weasel davit or a fram rod.