[PRCo] Re: Return from the Valley of the Dead

[Fred W. Schneider III]

No, other things were missing but not the brake valves.  One motorman's
heater is missing (and since they must be in series to have the proper
resistance, you cannot use the one on the car).  One hand brake stand is
missing (the track is perfectly level and the car can be stopped on one
point of power in reverse very nicely if you have no air).  One missing
controller was replaced. 

There seems some misunderstanding of an earlier statement I made or
someone is trying to read into it something that does not apply.  These
are double door Birneys.  They always had two separate door engines, one
for the exit door and one for the entrance door.  The entrance door was
connected through the brake valve.  The exit door ran through a separate
valve, totally independent of the brake valve.

The question is that some of the MPRA people attempted to redo the
entire brake system using copper tubing and fittings ... common garden
variety plumbing hardware with soldered joints ... instead of the usual
pipe fittings.  That was done in the 1960s ... over 35 years ago.  They
may have changed the piping at that time; we would have no way of
knowing today.  And finding a retired Conestoga Transportation Co.
motorman to tell us how they were connected in service ... well, the
last car ran in 1947.  There were a few young motormen but if they even
still live in the area, they would be nearing 80 years of age today.  

ROGER Jenkins wrote:
> 
> For those not familiar with the problem of Birney style brake valves,
> let me tell you about them. They are scarecer [sic] then hens teeth.
> The brake and door opening valves are incorporated in the same casting.
> If one or both are not on the car when obtained the only place in the
> entire world where you may buy one , if they will sell any is Bendigo
> AU.  Orange Empire Ry. Museum just bougt one from them for one of their
> Birneys that was missing one when donated to them many years ago.The
> price was $5000 . It is possible the Manhiem car was missing them as
> well and one of the restoration groups that worked on the car made up a
> new system for it.