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(erielack) Erie B5

http://www.railfan.net/cgi-bin/listphoto.cgi?/lists/erielack-photo/erielack-
02-28-02/Erie55.jpg

Rich Young posted a bunch of early Erie steam photos, which I finally got a
chance to look at tonight.  There was an indirect question posed to me in
that listing.

No 55 is one of the earliest B5's built, by Alco's Cooke works in January
1904.  B/N 29083.  It was sold by the Erie, interestingly, to Greenville
Steel Car in November 1943.  I am curious as to its ultimate fate.

I have no specific context reference, but I think that this engine spent
most of it's life in Jersey City.  In any case this engine is somebody's
personal pet engine.  Look at the shine on that bell!  And the boiler (these
engines did get Russian Iron boiler jackets) has been wiped down with great
care.

What >is< that caboose it's coupled to?

Interesting too is that the cab on this engine is not in it's original
configuration, which would have had an enclosed cab, in the central opening
you can see here.  The typical configuration has a sloping steel sheet
coming up from the backhead leading to a "locker" (that's what it's called
on the Lima drawings of these engines) over the fireman's head when he's
standing on the tender deck to fire the engine.  I know that's probably not
real clear, but it is hard to describe.  If you're interested you can see
what I mean by looking at:

http://gelwood.railfan.net/loco/erie94.jpg

I have nearly completed CAD drawings of these engines, and an article for
The Diamond.  You will probably know more than you want to when that's
published.

SGL

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