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I have noticed that too, but, I don't have a good answer for you yet. I have some queries out and if I come up with a reason, i will let you know. 
I was looking through the N&WHS photos just a couple of weeks ago at just this thing. Some have only one lubricator on the engineer's side, some have two and some have one with an empty bracket for the second lubricator. 

Technically the J's were constructed in three groups. The 600-604, "War Babies" 605-610 (initially unshrouded w/o roller bearing side rods), and then finally the 611-613. I wonder if is a variation? There were group specific technical differences between these engines. Not all 14 were 100% identical.

Last edited by Gilly@N&W

I can find evidence that engines 600 - 610 were built with two lubricators on the engineer's side. I can also find evidence where the rear lubricator was removed at some point in time from these same engines. 
I could not find any evidence that engines 611 - 613 were built with more than one lubricator on the engineer's side.
All engines had one lubricator on the fireman's side.
So, just guessing at this point, this appears to be something that the N&W found that the third lubricator was not needed or that the two could do the same job if plumbed differently.

Big Jim posted:

I can find evidence that engines 600 - 610 were built with two lubricators on the engineer's side. I can also find evidence where the rear lubricator was removed at some point in time from these same engines. 
I could not find any evidence that engines 611 - 613 were built with more than one lubricator on the engineer's side.
All engines had one lubricator on the fireman's side.
So, just guessing at this point, this appears to be something that the N&W found that the third lubricator was not needed or that the two could do the same job if plumbed differently.

Interesting information. Thanks, Jim. 

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine (a drawing also shows left side lube line routing). The question is what changed on the right side? One possibility is that they found out that the one lubricator could handle it all with different distribution manifolds. For now, the answer remains to be found.

Big Jim posted:

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine (a drawing also shows left side lube line routing). The question is what changed on the right side? One possibility is that they found out that the one lubricator could handle it all with different distribution manifolds.

The mechanical lubricators MUST be separate, as valve oil wasn't used as machinery lubrication, and machine oil wasn't used for injecting into the steam flow for the valves & cylinders (valve, or 'steam', oil is water soluble). 

For now, the answer remains to be found.

 

Hot Water posted:
Big Jim posted:

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine (a drawing also shows left side lube line routing). The question is what changed on the right side? One possibility is that they found out that the one lubricator could handle it all with different distribution manifolds.

The mechanical lubricators MUST be separate, as valve oil wasn't used as machinery lubrication, and machine oil wasn't used for injecting into the steam flow for the valves & cylinders (valve, or 'steam', oil is water soluble). 

For now, the answer remains to be found.

 

I thought that was clear, left side "Valve Oil", right side "Engine Oil". I guess not. Let me make it clearer. "One possibility is that they found out that only one lubricator on the right side could do the work of two by using different distribution manifolds."

Last edited by Big Jim

Having read and seen proof that the N&W engineers were extreme pragmatists I'd suspect you're right Jim. As I've been told by some of the 611 crew it's the same principle for why they got rid of the tandem side rods and multiple bearing crosshead in later versions of the J class that some of the earlier versions had...if its "dead weight"...get rid of it....

Big Jim posted:

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine...

What part of "the engine" would the engine oil be lubricating?

smd4 posted:
Big Jim posted:

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine...

What part of "the engine" would the engine oil be lubricating?

Maybe the driving box jaw liners, as well as the crosshead guides?

smd4 posted:
Big Jim posted:

Looking at the N&W drawings at the N&W HS, the left side lubricator handled the "Valve Oil" while the right side lubricator/s handled the "Engine Oil". There are drawings showing the right side with one and two lubricators and how their respective lines were routed in order to lubricate the engine...

What part of "the engine" would the engine oil be lubricating?

Everything from the pilot to the tender. How many fingers and toes do you have? That ain't enough!!!

Engine Oil Double Lubricator lines

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  • Engine Oil Double Lubricator lines
Stuart posted:

Regarding the tandem side rods, from what I've read some of the J's, like the 611, had a different mainrod crankpin bearing installed, which necessitated removing the tandem side rod arrangement.

Stuart

 

From what I remember, that is not quite the way it went. The rod story is explained in Louis Newton's book "Rails Remembered Vol.3".

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