National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
#30
Illinois Central, University of Illinois Dynamometer Car
— 1943 —
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019
1. #30 Marker
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#30. Illinois Central, University of Illinois Dynamometer Car. Built by the Illinois Central railroad at it's Burnside shops in Chicago with the instruments provided by the University of Illinois (the car was jointly owned). The dynamometer car is a rolling laboratory that tests the pulling power of locomotives. The front coupler is attached to the frame by a hydraulic cylinder. The pull of a locomotive moves a piston in the cylinder and measuring instruments in the car record data. The system is so sensitive it can detect the forces of a person pulling on the coupler and so strong that it tested an engine pulling a 213 car coal train. Number 30 is 60 feet long, weighs 125,000 pounds and contains an operating compartment with recording table, instruments and tool bench, 2 staterooms which accommodate 4 people each, toilet, shower and kitchen. This car was last used behind a steam locomotive in 1952 and was only used once behind a diesel-electric in 1955. Donated in 1969 by the Illinois Central Railroad and University of Illinois.
Built by the Illinois Central railroad at it's Burnside shops in Chicago with the instruments provided by the University of Illinois (the car was jointly owned). The dynamometer car is a rolling laboratory that tests the pulling power of locomotives. The front coupler is attached to the frame by a hydraulic cylinder. The pull of a locomotive moves a piston in the cylinder and measuring instruments in the car record data. The system is so sensitive it can detect the forces of a person pulling on the coupler and so strong that it tested an engine pulling a 213 car coal train. Number 30 is 60 feet long, weighs 125,000 pounds and contains an operating compartment with recording table, instruments and tool bench, 2 staterooms which accommodate 4 people each, toilet, shower and kitchen. This car was last used behind a steam locomotive in 1952 and was only used once behind a diesel-electric in 1955. Donated in 1969 by the Illinois Central Railroad and University of Illinois.
Location. 38° 34.326′ N, 90° 27.647′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood,
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Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is in National Museum of Transportation. Marker can be reached from Barrett Station Road east of Old Dougherty Ferry Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3015 Barrett Station Road, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019
2. #30 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 115 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
