What is it?

[NelsOn-30]

There are 8 in the photo so the loco is probably a red herring. Spouts for filling oil tank cars?

Nelson

[Dr EMD]

That is for channeling the smoke out of the locomotive to a central stack. It is to help control the smoke over Chicago.

[scottychaos]

That is for channeling the smoke out of the locomotive to a central stack. It is to help control the smoke over Chicago.

*ding* we have a winner!
yes, those are PRR "smoke collectors"!
they would be moved over the stack, and suck the smoke away to a different location..

gotta love that Pennsy..

Scot

[Alex V.]

Never woulda guessed it!  That's wierd.

[SteamGene]

I guess it's possible they are steam washers.  That would explain that strange rounded end and the configuration in pairs.   Like I said, on the Pennsy, anything non-standard is possible.
Gene

[scottychaos]

I guess it's possible they are steam washers.  That would explain that strange rounded end and the configuration in pairs.   Like I said, on the Pennsy, anything non-standard is possible.
Gene

Gene,
scroll up 3 messages! 

Scot

[Atlantic Central]

Makes perfect sense since the PRR never got into the oil fired steam business to limit smoke like most other east coast and midwest railroads had to do in the cities.

Electrafication in the east eliminated smoke problems for the PRR in cites like Phily, Baltimore, DC and New York. But all the big cities in the industrial north east and upper mid west had anti smoke laws by the end of the thirties or so.

And we act like being concerned about the invironment is a new idea.

This is a major reason why many roads in these areas dieselized their passenger service first. Early on smoke laws where often relaxed in industrial areas and stricker down town where the passenger terminals where located.

The loco in the picture, and presumably the yard it is in, are primarily for passenger service.

Sheldon