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Because the ventilators are out of reach of any person of average height, every CA&E car needed a ventilator adjustment rod for use by the conductor. Unfortunately, we seem to have only one original. It's a special brass casting attached to a stick about 28" long and 7/8" in diameter. And I would not want it to get stolen or damaged.
In practice, we usually keep the ventilators open, but it would still be nice to have one available in each car. I would have to disassemble the thing to get a new casting made, and the whole project would be a lot of work, so I have made a set of new ones using brass hooks from the hardware store. It's close enough, and does the job when necessary.
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In cars with a toilet compartment, the rod is stored over the door and held by two brackets, as shown. But I haven't figured out where it would be stored in the 36, which has no compartment. Does anybody remember?
That brass hook actually reminds me of some that I used to see every day at school, they were used to drag down the high shades for the windows at school.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. I used to have to do daily battle for the honor of using a hook exactly like that to open the windows in my classroom at St. Eulalia School in Maywood.
ReplyDeleteHow's this for a match? http://www.amazon.com/Window-Blind-Polished-Solid-Brass/dp/B007KQBUII/ref=sr_1_16/187-8994102-6754925?ie=UTF8&qid=1430400571&sr=8-16&keywords=pole+hooks
Jim Dyer
Wow, you gotta be kidding. That looks perfect. I'll have to order one, since I don't see any dimensions, but that should be a big improvement. Thanks, you guys are the best!
ReplyDeleteI would think that in a perfect world that during the winter months that closing the vents would aid in keeping the ambient air out as well as moisture...and thats easier said than done
ReplyDeleteIn practice, the cars are not very air-tight, and the temperature and humidity are bound to equalize with the interior of the barn. Furthermore, on some of our cars, there are ventilators that have no control, and are either always open (as we leave them) or always closed, by means of a metal plate. So we generally don't bother to adjust them for storage. Unless I missed the memo.
ReplyDelete