View from the short hood door. In the front is the
windscreen that the driver looks out from when driving long hood leading. This is a
Southern Railways loco from Erode (ED). The padded seat is a rare sight, normally it is a
bare wooden stool.
Instruments and controls visible :
The big white gauge on top of the control stand is the brake pipe Vacuum gauge. It is
reading 'Zero' now as the loco is dead and there is no pressure in the
system.
The white gauge in the control stand is the 'Loadmeter' which is an ammeter reading the
motor current. There is a green zone (safe operation zone), a timed zone after that (where
the loco can work for a short time) followed by the red zone indicating a serious
overload. The 'loadmeter' shows current by deflection on the same side (left to right)
when motoring (when the loco is pulling) as well as when braking (when dynamic braking).
The black meter above the 'loadmeter' is the accurate electric speedometer driven by the
axle mounted tachogenerator.
The tachogenerator also feeds the recording speedometer below the windshield, which keeps
a time vs speed track of the loco and is ticking even now (by its clockwork mechanism)
even if this loco is dead and very silent.
The black panel on the left of the control stand is the LED lamp indicators for various.
conditions like wheel slip, ground fault, crankcase exhauster failure, low lube oil
pressure.
The single switch next to the LED panel is the emergency engine shutdown switch, it is
currently in the 'run' position.
The rotary switch with the yellow label is the headlight switch The partially visible
black rotary switch next to the headlight switch is used to dim the headlight.
Note the throttle with the black grip, that is currently locked in the zero position. The
oval slot below the throttle is for the 'reverser' handle. The handle has been removed and
kept in a cupboard in the short hood as the loco is presently 'stabled' and 'secured'.
Also removed are the two brake handles of A9 (train brake) and the SA9 (loco brake). Each
loco has only one set of removable brake handles and reverser, thereby ensuring that only
one control stand can be used at any given time. Note the 'cotton waste' tucked
between the brake valves. Many drivers habitually carry a piece of cotton waste in their
palms all the time.
Note the twin horn buttons above the throttle
The single button inline of the reverser slot is the sander switch to spray sand on
slipping wheels The three black gauges with twin indicators in the control stand are:
Brake Cylinder/Brake pipe pressure, Master air reservoir pressure and Vacuum pressure.
Note the wiper blade on the windscreen.
Note the spool valve for operating the wiper set in the short hood door and its air hose
to the left of the picture. The control used to activate the wiper is the thumscrew at the
bottom of the mechanism (with a speck of red paint), more the thumscrew is opened, faster
will the wiper wipe !