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[[File:Wasserkran Bf Stützerbach.JPG|thumb|right|Water crane in [[Stützerbach]], Germany]]
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A '''water crane''' is a device used for delivering a large volume of [[water]] into the [[Tank locomotive|tank]] or [[Tender locomotive|tender]] of a [[steam locomotive]].<ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=709376|title=Stand-pipe for railway uses|invent1=John W. Thomas, Jr.|status=patent|gdate=1902-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=847494|title=Railway stand-pipe|invent1=James F. Murphy|status=patent|gdate=1907-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=958504|title=Stand-pipe for railway water-supply|invent1=Patrick Henry Knight|status=patent|gdate=1910-05-17}}</ref> The device is sometimes also called a '''water column''' in the United States.<ref>Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Marietta, GA (2008). [http://rlhs.org/Publications/Quarterly/PDF/nl28-4.pdf "The Railroad Station Water Column."] ''Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Quarterly,'' Vol. 28, No. 4 - Vol. 29, No 1. p.6.</ref> As a steam locomotive consumes large quantities of water, water cranes were a vital part of [[railway station]] equipment, often situated at the end of a [[railway platform|platform]], so that water could be refilled during a stop at the station.
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[[File:Wasserkran Bf Stützerbach.JPG|thumb|left|Water crane in [[Stützerbach]], Germany]]
[[File:Water crane Kladno CZ 01.jpg|thumb|right|Water crane in [[Kladno]], Czech Republic]]
[[File:Water crane Kladno CZ 01.jpg|thumb|right|Water crane in [[Kladno]], Czech Republic]]
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A '''water crane''' is a device used for delivering a large volume of [[water]] into the [[Tank locomotive|tank]] or [[Tender locomotive|tender]] of a [[steam locomotive]].<ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=709376|title=Stand-pipe for railway uses|invent1=John W. Thomas, Jr.|status=patent|gdate=1902-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=847494|title=Railway stand-pipe|invent1=James F. Murphy|status=patent|gdate=1907-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=958504|title=Stand-pipe for railway water-supply|invent1=Patrick Henry Knight|status=patent|gdate=1910-05-17}}</ref> The device is sometimes also called a '''water column''' in the United States.<ref>Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Marietta, GA (2008). [http://rlhs.org/Publications/Quarterly/PDF/nl28-4.pdf "The Railroad Station Water Column."] ''Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Quarterly,'' Vol. 28, No. 4 - Vol. 29, No 1. p.6.</ref> As a steam locomotive consumes large quantities of water, water cranes were a vital part of [[railway station]] equipment, often situated at the end of a [[railway platform|platform]], so that water could be refilled during a stop at the station.


==Overview==
Generally, water cranes consist of an upright steel [[Water pipe|pipe]] about {{convert|8|to|12|in|m}} in diameter with a horizontal, pivoting pipe connected to its upper end so as to form a swinging arm.<ref name=tratman1901/> The swinging arm is usually designed to rest parallel to the rails when not in use.<ref>{{cite book|last=Webb|first=Walter Loring|title=Railroad Construction, Theory and Practice|year=1917|pages=376–377|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc|location=New York, New York|edition=6th}}</ref> Water cranes may be able to deliver up to {{convert/spell|10|m3|USgal| abbr=none|case=L}} of water per minute.
Generally, water cranes consist of an upright steel [[Water pipe|pipe]] about {{convert|8|to|12|in|m}} in diameter with a horizontal, pivoting pipe connected to its upper end so as to form a swinging arm.<ref name=tratman1901/> The swinging arm is usually designed to rest parallel to the rails when not in use.<ref>{{cite book|last=Webb|first=Walter Loring|title=Railroad Construction, Theory and Practice|year=1917|pages=376–377|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc|location=New York, New York|edition=6th}}</ref> Water cranes may be able to deliver up to {{convert/spell|10|m3|USgal| abbr=none|case=L}} of water per minute.


Revision as of 14:44, 2 October 2013

Water crane in Stützerbach, Germany
Water crane in Kladno, Czech Republic

A water crane is a device used for delivering a large volume of water into the tank or tender of a steam locomotive.[1][2][3] The device is sometimes also called a water column in the United States.[4] As a steam locomotive consumes large quantities of water, water cranes were a vital part of railway station equipment, often situated at the end of a platform, so that water could be refilled during a stop at the station.

Overview

Generally, water cranes consist of an upright steel pipe about 8 to 12 inches (0.20 to 0.30 m) in diameter with a horizontal, pivoting pipe connected to its upper end so as to form a swinging arm.[5] The swinging arm is usually designed to rest parallel to the rails when not in use.[6] Water cranes may be able to deliver up to Template:Convert/spell of water per minute.

Water supply

In hilly country, natural streams can be dammed and water fed by gravity to the water crane.[7] In flatter country this arrangement is not always possible, so water may be supplied by a tank next to the crane. Water tanks may vary in volume from 190 kilolitres (50,000 US gal) to greater than 757 kilolitres (200,000 US gal).[5] In some cases a well may be used to supply the water to the tank.[8]

Depending on the quality of the water under supply, it may need to be treated chemically to eliminate hardness which induces scale buildup on the inside of the locomotive boiler.[5] The scale builds up on heat transfer surfaces that insulate metal from the boiler water.[9] This causes metal to overheat or corrode and eventually fail.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Water cranes.

References

  1. ^ US patent 709376, John W. Thomas, Jr., "Stand-pipe for railway uses", issued 1902-09-16 
  2. ^ US patent 847494, James F. Murphy, "Railway stand-pipe", issued 1907-03-19 
  3. ^ US patent 958504, Patrick Henry Knight, "Stand-pipe for railway water-supply", issued 1910-05-17 
  4. ^ Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Marietta, GA (2008). "The Railroad Station Water Column." Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 28, No. 4 - Vol. 29, No 1. p.6.
  5. ^ a b c Tratman, Edward Ernest Russell (1901). "Chapter 11. Water and Coaling Stations and Other Track Accessories". Railway Track and Track Work (2nd ed.). New York, New York: Engineering News Publishing Company. OCLC 2030207.
  6. ^ Webb, Walter Loring (1917). Railroad Construction, Theory and Practice (6th ed.). New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 376–377.
  7. ^ Cleemann, Thomas M. (1880). The Railroad Engineer's Practice. New York, New York: George H. Frost, Publisher. pp. 71–73. OCLC 70728043.
  8. ^ Guppy, B. W. (January–December 1919). "A Technical Description of the British Light Railways in France". Professional Memoirs of the Corps of Engineers, United States Army, and the Engineer Department at Large. 11: 185–216.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  9. ^ Wrinn, Jim (2012). "What's in the water?". Trains. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Company: 64. ISSN 0041-0934. OCLC 1642109. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
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