Once owned by Kennecott copper.
Thanks John;
Compressed air and fireless locomotives were considered safer for hazardous environments (explosive gas/chemicals), but I suppose the engineers really had to mind the pressure gage. Wouldn’t be good to empty a charge far from the source of restoring power!
Best, David Meashey
A steam engine exhausts spent steam from the stack after using it in the cylinder as we all know.
If you follow the exhaust pipe on this one, it goes back to the rear and also underneath near what might be a pressure relief valve.
I’m wondering if they reused the air in a closed system. It would be a difficult to drag an air hose behind them.
Nice find. I think that may be the supply pipe to the cylinder, with a throttle valve just above the cylinder’s valve chest and its control rod going to the cab.
Here is the inscription on the plaque in front of the loco:
“This locomotive is a gift to the citizens of Kearny, Arizona, by the Kennecott Copper Corporation. This is a Porter Air Locomotive, used by Kennecott Copper Corporation in the original underground Ray Copper Mine. It was used to transport men, ore, and supplies underground. It was operated on compressed air, supplied from lines within the mine. It was retired in 1955. The locomotive was originally placed in Hercules Park, Ray, Arizona, and later moved to Kearny, Arizona.”
It looks like it took on air at various points to keep running.
That is a cool looking piece of machinery. The rivets are huge!