keywords = Berlinerwerke railroad model stories tall tales apocrypha PRR Pennsy Pensylvania S. Berliner, III's Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 10
Updated:  03 Oct 2006, 22:05  ET
(Created 23 Feb 2006)
[Ref:  This is bwapoc10.html   (URL http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/bwapoc10.html )]

S. Berliner, III's

Berlinerwerke Script

(Berlinerwerke)

Apocrypha Continuation Page 10

Consultant in Ultrasonic Processing
"changing materials with high-intensity sound"
Technical and Historical Writer, Oral Historian
Popularizer of Science and Technology
Rail, Auto, Air, Ordnance, and Model Enthusiast
Light-weight Linguist, Lay Minister, and Putative Philosopher

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THE BERLINERWERKE APOCRYPHA

BW Key

This page sponsored jointly (lots of 'em) by the
National Railway Hysterical Society
and the
National Muddle Railroad Association.


(Lighten up - they're spoofs!)

[See also the HO (1:87.1) Berlinerwerke saga or the Z (1:220) Berlinerwerke-Z saga
    and Berlinerwerke Guest Apocrypha (for taller tales?):

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR FREIGHT ENGINES.
LEWELLEN NORTHERN GARRATTS.
CSXT AC100CBW and NSC CB100W-10 10,000 horsepower locos!
    Also, see the fabled BW DDP45 and other EMD engines EMD may never have dreamed of!]

Insanity doesn't run in my family, it just sort of dawdles along.


Because the Apocrypha and Guest Apocrypha indices exceeded the capacity of the individual pages, they are now presented in full on a separate Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Index (including the Guest Apocrypha Index).   new.gif (03 Oct 06)


INDEX (partial)

On the main Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Page:
  Eerie Multiplex 2-4-6-8-10-12, "Old 9999".
  PRR Z6s Arctic 4-2-2.

On Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Page 0:
  PRR/BW DD3 Boxcab Triple-Power Diesel-Electric Locomotive 2-B+3-3+3-3+B-2.
  PRR/BW DD3 Boxcab Dual-Power   "Drei-Eis" Dry-Ice-Electric Locomotive 2-B+2-2+B-2.   new.gif (21 Jan 06)
  ALCo-GE-BW FPA-1 dual-powered B-C.   new.gif (14 Jan 06)
  Berliners Bessere Biffi und Biffisch (moved from main BW Apocrypha Page on 11 Oct 04).
  Genesis Redivivus!.
  BW-BLW-GE-WEC-PRR GG2.   new.gif (16 Dec 05)

On Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Page 1:
  GC&E #13 13-truck Shay!
  4-Truck Heisler V8
  Steam Motorcars

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 2:
  PRR V1 Rocky 4-14-2 {moved from preceding page 07 Mar 99}.
  BW V2 Hiss Bomb.
  PRR Genesis Engine (unlikely!).
  PRR Centipede Engine 4-D-D-4 (even more unlikely, but oh, 'tis true, 'tis true!).
  "Big Hooker" double-ended 250-ton Tunnel Crane

and new pix of NYC 2x120-ton prototype.
  Super Garratt, BW-UP Garratt Boy, and BW-UP Bigger Boy.

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 3:
  BW Climaxiii (moved here from page 1 on 19 Apr 03)
  Double-Sided Shays.
  Piker and Oscar.

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 4:
  Soviet Class AA20 4-14-4!
  Parker Parodies - loco research by Karen Parker

(moved to BW Guest Apocrypha Page 2 on 16 Jan 04).
  Pennsy Multiplex - the fabled Wopsononock Class YNOT 2-4-6-8-10-12.
  BW/Lima/C&O T-6 4-14-6 Doppelgänger.
  BW/PRR Zoo 4-14-6 Doppelgänger.
  BW-EMD F-45 and FP-45 Variations.

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 5:
  BW/PRR ASS 0-4-4-0 Articulated Switcher.
  BW/PRR AA½ 0-2-2-0 Articulated Switcher.
  BEDT #1718 0-4-4-0T Articulated Tank Switcher
  BEDT #1920 0-6-6-0T Articulated Tank Switcher.
  BW/PRR GBBG1 4-C-C+C-C-4.
  BW/PRR E44, E22, and E11 Electrics.
  BW/EMD GM6c, GM4b, GM2a.
  BW/PRR RCCR1 4-D+D-D+D-4 "Millipede".
  BW/PRR BP120 4-D-D+D-D+D-D+D-D-4 "Millipede II".

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 6:
  BW/Baldwin/PRR Oil-Fired Turbine-Electric Class CCCC.

[Moved from page 5 on 11 Oct 04 and expanded.]
  BW/Baldwin/PRR Class T3 Oil-Fired Cab-Forward.
  BW/Baldwin/Virginian 2-4-6-8-10-12 Multiplex.
  The ELEGARNT (Elegant Energy-Efficient Elephant-Garratt)
  12,000HP SD90MAC2.
  ALCo-GE-BW FPA-1.

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 7:   new.gif (23 Jan 06)
  9,000HP GE-BW Turbine (B-B+B-B)-(B-B+B-B)-T.   new.gif (23 Jan 06)
  9,000HP UP Turbine (B-B+B-B)-T-(B-B+B-B).   new.gif (23 Jan 06)
  12,000HP GE-BW Turbine [(A-1-A)-(A-1-A)+(A-1-A)-(A-1-A)]-[(A-1-A)-(A-1-A)+(A-1-A)-(A-1-A)]-T. new.gif (23 Jan 06) and rev.gif (25 Jan 06)
  16,000HP GE-BW Turbine (C-C+C-C)-(C-C+C-C)-T. new.gif (23 Jan 06)
  20,000HP GE-BW Turbine (D-D+D-D)-(D-D+D-D)-T. new.gif (27 Jan 06)
  18,000HP GE-BW Turbine (D-D)-(D-D)-T. new.gif (27 Jan 06)
  PRR S3 6-10-6 Turbine. new.gif (28 Jan 06)
  PRR BH50T 2-D+D-2 Centipede Turbine #5821. new.gif (30 Jan 06)
  PRR HH2 1-D+D-1. new.gif (28 Jan 06)
  Shay Geared Handcar. new.gif (30 Jan 06)

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 8:
  new.gif (03 Feb 06)
  CP/MLW/BW Super Selkirk 2-10-10-4.   new.gif (03 Feb 06)
  CP/MLW/BW Super Selkirk 2-10-10-6.   new.gif (03 Feb 06)
  CP/BW Super Duper Selkirk (Auld Kirk) 2-4-6-8-10-12.   new.gif (05 Feb 06)
  PRR/Baldwin/BW 8-8-8-8 Duplexii. new.gif (09 Feb 06)

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 9:
new.gif (10 Feb 06)
  Apocryphal Miscellany, including the
  ALCo-BW FA/B-0.1 and PA/B-0.1   new.gif (11/16 Feb 06) , the
  FM-BW CPAB2.4-5   new.gif (17 Feb 06) , the
  EMD-BW FL-0.9   new.gif (17 Feb 06) , the
  ALCo-GE-IR MILW OF-5   new.gif (18 Feb 06) , and the
  BW-ALCo-Heisler RS-1DPH   new.gif (19 Feb 06)

On this Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Page 10:   new.gif (23 Feb 06)
  More Apocryphal Miscellany, including the
  NPC/BW (4-4)+4 Cab Forward Articulated.   new.gif (23 Feb 06)
  Whiting Track Speeder with JAP engine.   new.gif (03 Mar 06)
  Vulc-Hand Crank-Pneumatic Handcar.   new.gif (04 Mar 06)
  Rhunian State Railways's 665A-001.   new.gif (09 Mar 06)
  PRR Zippo Hippo.   new.gif (09 Mar 06)
  Poppet Valves and Worse   new.gif (22 Mar 06)

On the Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Continuation Page 11:
  new.gif (28 Apr 06)
  Rhunian State Railways - con't'd..   new.gif (28 Apr 06)
  ALCo-BW DH-16220 "Big Time" A-B-C-D+E-F+G-H   new.gif (28 Apr 06)

Because the Apocrypha and Guest Apocrypha indices exceeded the capacity of the individual pages, they are now presented in full on a separate Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Index (including the Guest Apocrypha Index).   new.gif (03 Oct 06)


Before I start, I should note that all this started with a secret project that is still unfinished and the next major development of the Berlinerwerke was their fabled DDP45:

DDP45

For more about her and her family, see my EMD page.


MORE APOCRYPHAL MISCELLANY

new.gif (23 Feb 06)


This is the story of how Ira Ersatz resurrected one of the most innovative locos ever.  Back in 1901, William (Bill) Thomas, master mechanic of the North Pacific Coast RR took an 1875 Baldwin 4-4-0, #5, the NPC's "Bodega", that had been wrecked and scrapped ca. 1895 and created a totally new locomotive, NPC #21, with many firsts to its credit; it was the first cab forward, the first oil-fired loco, the first loco with a marine boiler, and the first with a water tube boiler.  It looked weird, with its watertube boiler tilted down at the firebox (back) end for drainage, with a huge steam tube on top of the firebox instead of a steam dome out on the main course, and being turned bass-akward.  It boomed when it fired up, roared when it ran, lit up the countryside at night, and was, logically-enough, nicknamed "the Freak".   new.gif (23 Feb 06)

This info. is from a fuller, well-illustrated history of No. 21 and here is Jim Dicke's line drawing of NPC #21 from steamcad.com:

NPC#21
[image by J. Dicke on steamcad.com - all rights reserved.]
(Click on thumbnailed image for larger picture)

Fans of the NPC were appalled sometime after WWII to learn that Bill Thomas had made a second such conversion, NPC #22, and that it had suffered a boiler explosion and was rotting away in the woods with another old 4-4-0 when Bill joined the two into the first articulated cab forward, predating the SP AC-1 by many years.  Ira learned of this and asked George to investigate next time he was out on the Coast, which George did.  George discovered that the watertube boiler was basically missing abaft the firebox, which suited Ira just fine since he despised tilted watertube boilers anyway.  Ira came up with a lengthened standard firetube boiler and straightened up the firebox, but kept the steam tube in lieu of a steam dome since it already was plumbed in.  Bill had left the pilot truck off the rear engine so all the weight sat on the rear engine's drivers alone and Ira scrapped the strange arrangement that saw the sandboxes under the frame, adding a left-over sand dome from a larger loco amidships on the long boiler.  Ira also lowered the overall profile by moving the whistle and pop valve to the rear of the firebox and took Bill's second tender and swapped tubs so that the lead tender had both fuel oil tanks and the rear tender had both water tanks, thus making pit stops much easier.  He also tapered the walkways on their inner rear sides so that the narrow smokebox had clearance to swing without fouling them.  If the #21 was a "Freak", #22 was an out-and-out "Weirdo", a Cab Forward Articulated (4-4)+4:   new.gif (23 Feb 06)

NPC-BW#22
[23 Feb 2006 image and © 2006 S. Berliner, III, after J. Dicke
on steamcad.com - all rights reserved.]
(Click on thumbnailed image for larger picture)

#22 sure makes for some really interesting fan trips, though.


The folks up at the Danbury Railway Museum found that their enclosed Whiting track speeder didn't hold enough personnel and equipment and, when a novice operator burned out the motor, replaced it with an externally-mounted 996 cc water-cooled V-twin 2-cylinder, "J.A.P." (J. A. Preswick) engine from a 1928 Super Aero Morgan trike (a very rare 3-wheel car) that had been irreparably damaged in a shipping accident:   new.gif (03 Mar 06)

Whiting/JAP
[03 Mar 2006 image and © 2006 S. Berliner, III, after Danbury Railway Museum]

It looks rather odd but is far more useful, now that it has much more room inside.


My apologies to the folks up at the Smiths Falls Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario; that tracklayer handcar was NOT a conversion.  They have a rotating exhibit of handcars (wonder why no one there realizes?) and that was replaced the other day by yet another; the amazing Vulcan Iron Works's Vulc-Hand Duplex Crank-Pneumatic Handcar (Track Speeder?): new.gif (04 Mar 06)

Vulc-Hand Handcar
(04 Mar 06 photo by and © 2006 S. Berliner, III - all rights reserved)

It seems the folks at the Vulcan Iron Works were not about to let Heisler get the upper hand and came up with a crank-pneumatic handcar, inspired, no doubt, by the Russian Lomonosoff and German V-32-001 air boxcabs.  They took a standard handcar and hooked the cranks to an under-floor air compressor that operated the two pair of opposed duplex cylinders.  For some funny reason, though, railroads did not stampede to buy them but Smith Falls, in their great wisdom, located and preserved this sole example and restored it to operating (if cranky) condition.


Karen Parker took the first and only (happily) photo of the Rhunian State Railways's 665A-001 Class 655A Ketterik-Gorote 5-Cylinder Triple-Expansion Compound Express Goods Locomotive, which she doctored into the Withuhn configuration, and which I unkindly described as "plug-ugly".  That inspired me to doctor it further: new.gif (09 Mar 06)

RSR 665A-001
(09 Mar 06 photo by and © 2006 S. Berliner, III
after K. Parker - all rights reserved)

I freely I admit you may find it screwy, although I think it has a certain spark, even if it has a plugged smokebox.  No wonder British conductors cry, "Mind the gap; mind the gap!"  Incidentally, I'm warming up to my version; I kinda like it my way.  Bet it's the only coal burner you've ever seen with spark ignition!  The ears are to keep the spark from blowing out, like a Zippo lighter.

Karen thought the lok was equipped with "spark electrocution, probably to prevent vandals from making off with the number plate, which would be very desirable to collectors since the locomotive is the first of its class".   I assume that erection above the pilot beam is a strange third cylinder without valve gear, conjugal or otherwise; it's so small that you'd need smaller drivers hooked to its crank, which would be rather difficult to acomplish in the Withuhn configuration.


What a great idea!  I did a quick search of the BW files and there it was, my photo of the Pennsy's Zippo Hippo up at the Western New York Railroad Historical Society in Hamburg New York (near Buffalo): new.gif (09 Mar 06)

PRR Zippo Hippo
(09 Mar 06 photo by and © 2006 S. Berliner, III
after S. M. P. Hawbaker/WNYRRHS 2001 - all rights reserved)

I wonder how Scott Hawbaker will react when he sees how they've modified his baby, the only surviving PRR Class I1 Decapod, PRR Class I1sa #4483?  But see how cleanly and completely she burns; no smoke whatsoever!


Poppet Valves and Worse -   new.gif (22 Mar 06) Ira Ersatz disliked the whole poppet valve concept.  Once, he had George make a presentation to the Pennsy on a better way (he thought); George was laughed right out of Altoona.  The idea was to sustitute for the exceedingly-expensive poppet valve spools dirt-cheap oversized Poppit beads.  The beads weren't as durable but they could be easily substituted at overhauls (left, below).

Well, it seems that they actually DID try the Poppits but PRR Maintenance just wouldn't go for the time required at overhaul.  So, Ira got another brainstorm and the BW made a deal with Entenmann's Bakery (here on LI) and Ira created a set of dough pumps and eight (8) injectors that blew Popems (dougnut holes) dough in through the valve seats and created disposable Poppet valves - the steam cooked them instantly and they then blew out the exhaust, being replaced every cycle (right, below):

Poppit Valve Gear Popems Valve Gear
(20 Mar 06 image by and © 2006 S. Berliner, III
after W. Withuhn - all rights reserved
Click on thumbnailed images for larger pictures)
[Will Bill Withuhn (or Entenmann's) ever forgive me?]

The Popems valve system worked well enough (and sure smelled good!) until the RR discovered a huge influx of rats on the property and had to scrap the whole idea.


As always, you know you can count on the BW to find unbelievable info.


{Stay tuned!}


[See also the HO (1:87.1) Berlinerwerke saga or the Z (1:220) Berlinerwerke-Z saga.]

I always wondered at the incredibly tight security at the Berlinerwerke during WWII; now it can be told!  See, for starters, the wild site of Sig Case, Rails to the Stars - Steam in Space, files from the National Aeronautics and Steam Administration and the tie-in to the Berlinerwerke V1 on Apocrypha Page 2.


See also the HO (1:87.1) Berlinerwerke saga or the Z (1:220) Berlinerwerke-Z saga
    and Berlinerwerke Guest Apocrypha (for taller tales?):

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR FREIGHT ENGINES.
LEWELLEN NORTHERN GARRATTS.
CSXT AC100CBW and NSC CB100W-10 10,000 horsepower locos!
  Also, see the fabled BW DDP45 and other EMD engines EMD may never have dreamed of!

 


Because the Apocrypha and Guest Apocrypha indices exceeded the capacity of the individual pages, they are now presented in full on a separate Berlinerwerke Apocrypha Index (including the Guest Apocrypha Index).   new.gif (03 Oct 06)


If you like this sort of nonsense, take a gander at Jim Wells' incredible
and at the AW NUTS Magazine site, "A Publication of the A.W. N.U.T.S. Garden Railway Society".

If you are air-minded (take that as you choose), you must see the Lion Air site!  I'd be Lion if I didn't warn you to keep your tongue in your cheek on this one!

Take your tongue out of your cheek and visit D. Dickens' The Patiala State Monorail Tramway site; whooie (and it's for real)!


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THUMBS UP!

THUMBS UP!  -  Support your local police, fire, and emergency personnel!


S. Berliner, III

To contact S. Berliner, III, please click here.



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