Low Water Alarms

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JBodenmann
Posts: 3856
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:37 pm
Location: Tehachapi, California

Low Water Alarms

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
I have both Barco and Nathan 1-1/2" scale low water alarms in stock. Both investment cast yellow brass. Both non operating, and only available painted and assembled.
Here is the Barco. Includes the Y fitting and tubing where it enters the boiler. $300.00. This alarm was used on New York Central Hudsons.
IMG_1059.jpg
And here is the Nathan. This was used on the Nickel Plate Berkshires. $200.00 Includes threaded bushing to fit into the boiler jacket.
Nathan LWA.jpg
Both were used on many other locomotives.
Happy Model Building :D
Jack
ChooChooChris
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:01 pm

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by ChooChooChris »

I never knew these existed and am having a hard time finding info on them. Does anyone have any info on how these actually worked or the patent for them. Google is not being my friend today.
-Chris Srch---- Home track Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad
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makinsmoke
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Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by makinsmoke »

There was an article in Mainline Modeler in the 80’s about a boiler explosion on the SP on the West Coast. A portion related eyewitnesses hearing the low water alarm going off prior to the explosion.
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makinsmoke
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Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by makinsmoke »

https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/244440.aspx


Sorry for the hijack Jack!

Maybe it will kick off some sales!!
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Peter Crisler
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Location: Middletown, KY

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by Peter Crisler »

ChooChooChris wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:50 am I never knew these existed and am having a hard time finding info on them. Does anyone have any info on how these actually worked or the patent for them. Google is not being my friend today.
Here is what I have on the Barco.
Attachments
Barco LWA 2.jpg
Barco LWA 1.jpg
ChooChooChris
Posts: 94
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:01 pm

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by ChooChooChris »

Peter Crisler wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 10:46 am
ChooChooChris wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:50 am I never knew these existed and am having a hard time finding info on them. Does anyone have any info on how these actually worked or the patent for them. Google is not being my friend today.
Here is what I have on the Barco.
Ok that is stupid simple... dont know what I was expecting.
Sorry for highjacking the thread!
-Chris Srch---- Home track Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad
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JBodenmann
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Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:37 pm
Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
The Barco alarm used a float in the round chamber. When the water level dropped so did the float which admitted steam to a whistle in the cab.
Here is the Nathan alarm. It did not use a float. The right hand end of the alarm had a pipe that entered the boiler vertically. This pipe descended to the lowest allowable water level. When water covered the bottom of this pipe, the horizontal tube at the top of the alarm would fill with condensate and the tube would cool and contract. If the water level dropped below the bottom of the vertical tube entering the boiler, the water would drain and allow steam into the horizontal tube. This would heat the tube and it would expand. This would move the bell crank at the left end of the alarm pushing down on, and opening the valve at the extreme left end of the alarm, blowing the whistle in the cab. I think this may have been the more common low water alarm as all the operating parts were outside the boiler. It was easy to inspect and the operation could be checked by opening the valve at the top left end. This would allow live steam to enter the tube to test the operation. I had a friend who was a stationary boiler man. He said that stationary boilers had Nathan alarms. But instead of blowing a whistle it just turned on the feed pump.
Nathan LWA.jpg
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Low Water Alarms

Post by Asteamhead »

Hello Jack,
Thank you for posting and your offer! Superb models 8). Just a little too tall for my A 1239 :(
The Nathan type seemed to be the more reliable one. It's function was by active force, no debris could stop it. Checking was easy, too. Locomotive Cyclopedia contains a drawing with explanation.
I wonder if it might be possible to make a model with reliable function?

Best regards
asteamhead
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