Diesel Brake, Air, Control pipes etc. Help please.

[dasatcopthorne]

Hi Guys.

 

A very basic question please regarding the bufferbeam pipes on diesels, such as the Class 37, 47, 33 etc.?

 

What is the significance of the colours, red, white, yellow?

 

I also notice some have the 'handle' on the left and some on the right.

 

Are the left/right positions standard for each colour or are some on each side for each colour?

 

I need to get my detailing correct.

 

Cheers for any help.

 

Dave

[tractor_37260]

Hi Guys.

 

A very basic question please regarding the bufferbeam pipes on diesels, such as the Class 37, 47, 33 etc.?

 

What is the significance of the colours, red, white, yellow?

 

I also notice some have the 'handle' on the left and some on the right.

 

Are the left/right positions standard for each colour or are some on each side for each colour?

 

I need to get my detailing correct.

 

Cheers for any help.

 

Dave

 

The main air supply pipe is RED - normally to the right of the draw bar hook (looking front on ) There's normally 2 Main reservoir pipes (Yellow) one each side of the draw bar hook. 2 smaller air control pipes (White) close to the Buffers one each side.  Steam heat locos would also have a pipe/collector (Silver) next to the RED main air pipe. Early built locos would also have had a vacuum pipe on the BB - some kept this when converted to air-brakes, some had dual brakes. Most of the Air pipes had taps at the BB end of the pipe - normally handed.

 

A photo's better than a thousand words.................

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by tractor_37260

[royaloak]

Main reservoir air (main res for short) is yellow

Brake pipe is red

control air is (thinner) white (only fitted to some multiple working locos (blue star etc)/

Edited December 14, 2018 by royaloak

[The Johnster]

The red and yellow colour codes also apply to air braked coaches and wagons.  

[45125]

Be careful with the colour of the air pipes, when first built and up to the start of dual braking, the mains reservoir equalising pipe was not yellow but white and the same applied to the air brake pipe. 

[russ p]

The REGULATING air pipe is white!

MP12 failure to confuse regulating air with control air.

Control air is a constant 70psi , regulating air is between 0 and 52 psi depending on the position of the power controller

[37038]

With regard to the side the handles are on, it simply depends on where the pipe exits the buffer-beam and which side would give the best access to operate the handle.

[Steadfast]

With regard to the side the handles are on, it simply depends on where the pipe exits the buffer-beam and which side would give the best access to operate the handle.

Or which shape tap the fitter has to hand...had a really awkward one the other day, where a left handed tap was on a right hand pipe

 

Jo