NOT A COWCATCHER?! What is it then? | Railroad 101

[@crrm]

We often get the question of why our equipment is outdoors. The founders, Robert W. Richardson and Cornelius "Corny" Hauck, wanted the equipment in a "natural setting" for photography. Long term we are working to address this in a way that will provide cover to equipment while honoring our founder's wishes.

[@stef.b.m.lk1902]

At Steamrail Victoria here In Victoria Australia we are in a simmiler situation with are passenger cars. We are working on ways to fix it. For example we are now utilising more modern 2 pack marine paints and so far it's proven to be working well.

[@StarlordYT69]

hey boys how do you move narrow guage for expeditions out of the crrm

[@thomasthompson2084]

I've always heard them called cow kicker

[@jontompkins1844]

Perhaps a shed on rails that can roll back simply?

[@wildlifeathome]

@@jontompkins1844 This sounds like a good idea, like a retractable roof just make the whole building retractable, it could even be made to look like the end of a tunnel system once fully opened.

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

The pilot on 683 is what I like to call a “cow puncher” because of how the knuckle sticks out past the pilot itself, and would “punch” things on the line that would get in its way. A lot of eastern railroads used that kind of pilot design.

[@ronaldstokes4841]

Ahhh... Reality! Thanx for that Karl (I'll bet there was a cool nomenclature for the guys who 'pried' animals from the front of the train). @@karlwithak.

[@ronaldstokes4841]

The original 'Road Kill'.@@karlwithak.

[@steeljawX]

@@ronaldstokes4841 If you're lucky/unlucky and your brake journals are on fire, you could have some nice flame-grilled ground chuck by the time you get into the station. Just need some A-1 to go with that. (Flatbed car branded A-1 rolls by.)...

[@ronaldstokes4841]

Ha Ha! Jus' one thing... I wouldn' wanna mess up a good steak with ANY kinda sauce, even Bar-B-Q. Jus' light the fire under that meat and lemme at it! (The boxcar after the A-1 should be fulla California Red Wine.)@@steeljawX

[@sarahb.6475]

A cowpuncher is a cowboy!

[@nostalgiccameralife]

Bit of early history on the "cow catcher" vs. "Pilot": When the Camden & Amboy RR was built it was found desirable to have some way of easing the (very short wheelbase) locomotives into curves. What was invented was a pair of wheels on an axle, running about 7 feet ahead of the locomotive and connected to it with a wooden frame. This device was termed a "pilot" all the way back in 1832, because it guided the locomotive. It should be little surprise that the C&A alluded to a maritime term given the company's connection to the ferry industry. The steam locomotives of the C&A had only been in operation for a few days when an accident occurred. A pig on the tracks got under the pilot axle, and was run over by the locomotive, derailing the train (there is a surprisingly amusing account of this incident in the newspapers). It became evident that a guard was needed to keep such an event from happening again. A wooden grating was added to the pilot, this lay at a very slight incline, nearly horizontally above the rails, and sticking out a few feet before the pilot wheels (a drawing of one can be found in the 1837 book Sketch of the Civil Engineering of North America, free to read on google books) and it did function very much as a "catcher", anything the locomotive ran into would be knocked over and fall on top of this wooden grate. However at this time the pilot still referred to the leading wheels. This style of "catcher" was in use for a few years, but it had a serious flaw: when the crew put on the brakes, whatever unfortunate beast they had caught, tended to roll off the front and get run over. Presumably this was impetus to adopt the V shape, and push obstacles off the tracks rather than catch them. I have seen the term "cow catcher" used as early as 1835 (surprisingly the term doesn't originate with the Camden & Amboy despite their company being the first to use such a thing), and it remained in use into the 1930s, regarded as a part distinct from the pilot itself, as there are court documents describing the cow catcher as being fixed to the pilot. However, one can also find references to the "pilot, or cow-catcher" in literature dating back to the 1860s. So at what date the cow catcher and pilot began to be regarded as one and the same is hard to say. I would suppose the official nomenclature differed with each company.

[@cieludbjrg4706]

"Life guards" were common on trolleys/trams before, too. In Oslo, they got the nickname "bondefanger", "farmer/peasant-cathcer". Probably a "spin off" to the term (word) "bondefangeri", tricking gullible people into shady deals.

[@ibubezi7685]

Thanks for the info - makes it more 'visible'. So not only beef-burgers, but also ham-burgers (before they were made of beef...). Must have been truly messy, scooping off a bison - maybe they used steam from their boiler?

[@gewgulkansuhckitt9086]

So you're saying if history had gone slightly differently, we'd be calling them "pig catchers"?

[@peterbaruxis2511]

Thank you, I understand the pilot truck now, and keeping things from getting under the front of the locomotive.

[@nostalgiccameralife]

@@gewgulkansuhckitt9086 Hog Holders has a better ring to it.

[@chuckeye7475]

It was a nicely done video. But it seems that the pilot does what everybody thought they did, clear the track of objects that could damage or derail it. The term Cow catcher has good alliteration and is,,, catchy, easy to remember. Always fun to look at old trains.

[@peoplez129]

I would imagine it made more sense when you were dealing with early tracks where you'd be likely to roll through small towns that also had cattle both in town and on ranches along the tracks. Almost everything was built near the train tracks after the tracks were built, and the tracks themselves were built to connect towns, which is why everyone built everything near the tracks, because it obviously made for a very convenient supply line of goods and an easy path to follow. A horse can only travel about 25 miles in a single day under the best of circumstances. That means if you were tens of miles away from a town or tracks, you would have literally days worth of travelling just to get supplies from town, so people instead naturally moved closer to the towns with train stations in order to save all that time and effort.

[@TheInsanebrain247]

That's what I'm thinking: "cow catcher" may be the layman's term, but it's still accurate.

[@hellskitchen10036]

I was a kid in the 50's ( I know I'm old ) and we had steam locomotives ..and they were still called "Cow Catchers".

[@theOlLineRebel]

Agreed. Though we've long called it "cow-catcher" I don't think a single one of us fans (hard-core or casual) thought that was it's strict usage! LOL. We understand it's to push things aside to prevent derailing.

[@shaunholt]

1840s: Cow nudger 1860s: Cow pusher 1880s: Cow catcher 1900s: Cow exploder 2000s: Did you feel something?

[@CritterFritter]

Lol

[@Zenit_Bourg]

you know that imageAmtrak driver posing in front of red splat on the engine

[@ciscoterres717]

Cow Knocker Out of the Way-er

[@mweskamppp]

Cow splitter? Just needs a little edge in the middle.

[@Valkyrie_Coach]

Nah, you definitely still hear (and feel) a helluva thump when you smack a deer doing 60 mph on a modern D-E locomotive.

[@redspud3]

I was in Japan working on subway cars for NYC a number of years ago. On adjacent tracks were several Shinkansen bullet trains. The pilot on those is massive. Multiple layers (4-5?) of thick (2"?) steel with spacers and braces. All behind a shroud for aerodynamics. All to keep stuff from getting underneath. Truly impressive amount of steel on the front of those trains.

[@genefogarty5395]

Japan, NYC? Are they starting another MTA branch, lol.

[@DangItshere]

​@@genefogarty5395MTA has a quite a lot of orders for Kawasaki Heavy. The same manufacturer of several Shinkansen models

[@Necro3Monk]

@@genefogarty5395 Cars being manufactured/serviced for NYC is what the comment probably means.

[@angryagain68]

On our big trucks we call them "Moose Goosers". Donkey knockers is popular too.

[@daltongalloway]

@@genefogarty5395NYC subway cars are made in a bunch off different places. Some of them are built in Japan and shipped herb

[@Daisysdomain]

Someone from the UK here. On this side of the pond I can understand the confusion, as most UK locomotives don't have anything underneath the buffer beam we know the leading wheels or bogie as the pilot. If a bit of metal is there, it's a cowcatcher. The two phrases have always been separate for us as far as I know. I can't say for definite as I don't work in a rail industry I'm just a fan. Really enjoying these videos where you explain railroading terminology.

[@richardwillson101]

Many UK trains do have a "lifeguard" in front of each leading wheel. Designed to reduce the risk of objects getting trapped in front of the wheels and derailing the train. Some DMUs also have snowploughs, which are great at deflecting objects and animals from the front.

[@keithstudly6071]

That's because English cows are scientifically bred to know to stay off railway tracks. (Or at least so I've been told)

[@bionicgeekgrrl]

​@@keithstudly6071plus UK railways have by law to be separated by fencing all along the route, so it will be fairly uncommon for cows or sheep to be on the line unless a bit of fencing was broken or they gained entry via a crossing.

[@causewaykayak]

Also from UK: about restoration and getting locos and parts. Perhaps another UK person will correct me if I'm wrong here but .... uk stuck with steam longer than most other european countries. When the decision was made to retire the stock they were sent to a big scrap yard in South Wales to be cut up -- however the guys there were busy on other projects so a huge site packed with steam engines just sat there intact until discovered by restoration buffs. A lucky meeting. Now the UK has a very healthy private sector of volunteer restoration railways. Wishing Colarado and it's museum all the best and lots of luck getting finance !!

[@dkbmaestrorules]

​​@@causewaykayaknot really accurate that the UK stuck with steam for much longer than the rest of Europe...just off the top of my head, we got rid of it earlier than France, West Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the entire Eastern Bloc. In fact, the only countries that I know for certain withdrew steam before the UK are the Netherlands and Belgium.

[@Rusty_Nickle]

That's what we call those big bumpers on the semis in the trucking world too. Almost everybody calls it a cow catcher. The reality is if you hit anything like a deer, you're going to blow it to smithereens but it definitely helps protect the truck

[@davemccage7918]

There’s plenty of videos here on good ole’ KZbin of cows learning that the “catcher” is more like a more of a cow disintegrator. All the videos seem to take place in India for some reason. 🤷‍♂️

[@AndyZach]

@@davemccage7918 Lots of cows wandering around (hundreds of millions), lots of trains, lots of collision opportunities. That's why you'll see so many videos from India.

[@samuelhowie4543]

Was headed to work work years ago and came around a curve and there was a red smear across the road. It looked like a few 5 gallon buckets of red paint had fallen off a truck. Surprisingly there was no deer parts on the road even though it was fresh enough to still be wet.

[@Munenushi]

around here in Canada, we call them on trucks and cars; "bull bars"

[@Rusty_Nickle]

@davesmith3023 not true mine took on three deer at once one night. Also they don't add anything to the aerodynamics of a truck

[@skybot9998]

My dad started on the railroad in 1947,he just turned 17 and was the oldest boy still at home. His dad died (train conductor) so my dad had his mom and younger siblings to feed. He retired in 1991. He used to fire on steam engines and used to say it was like feeding guts to a bear. Years later he would take me with him on some jobs and let me drive,blow the horn and throw a switch. Love ya dad. Miss ya❤🙏

[@pogojp]

Sounds like a really great dad.

[@skybot9998]

@@pogojp he sure was❤👍

[@RedArrow808]

Good working class man. All due respect.

[@winstonoboogie6725]

Your comment is why I read these. Your dad sounds like quite a man. Thanks for writing of him!

[@NavvyMom]

Thanks for sharing! Great memories of a great man.

[@tinkerlynch5276]

That strange looking bovine crossing in front of the steam engine at the end of this video floored me !!! Laughed so hard I got hiccups !!! You guys really show how much you enjoy working at the museum !!! I've been a "choo choo" kid as long as I can remember. Tracks ran on the backside of my maternal Grandparents 200 acres east of Savannah, Georgia and I was no stranger to those whistles (saw a lot of hobos too and Grandma's sheep & goat herds were depleted for hobo cusine). I'm a young 70 yrs now and still get a thrill out of being able to get the observant engineer or two to blow the whistle as I drive along side of the train, usually with a few community kids as excuses for having fun !!! Many thanks for making these informative and historical videos...keep up the good work and God Bless !!!

[@trueaussie9230]

It's a sad day when one doesn't learn 'something'. I never knew 'cowcatchers' were made of wood or that they have their own 'trucks' and are removeable from the engine. Retaining 'patina - including dents, etc - is a very important and worthwhile aspect of preserving history. Good job!! 👍👍👍

[@evanalvarez6404]

we need to make a "I can't believe it's not butter" remake and call it ""I can't believe it's not a cowcatcher" lol

[@awesomealbertt1150]

What is “I can’t believe it’s not butter”?

[@amg2292]

Hint It's a butter

[@hipie379]

@@awesomealbertt1150a margarine brand I believe

[@kylecamden1414]

Yes

[@Nareimooncatt]

​@@awesomealbertt1150it's a butter alternative that has that phrase as the product brand name. Of course that also became its catch phrase.

[@jordonfreeman166]

“Where’s your cowcatcher?” “But I don’t catch cows, sir.”

[@sitharc]

"Don't be funny!" snapped the policeman

[@dustin_4501]

It's no use to argue with the policeman we will have to make those cowcatcher things for Thomas i suppose.

[@sitharc]

People will say I look like a tram!@@dustin_4501

[@ZergSmasher]

"But everyone will think I look like a tram!"

[@sitharc]

Why didn't I think about that before... we need a tram engine! @@ZergSmasher

[@kenhurley4441]

Young man,,,,, you're teaching us older citizens a few things. Keep these videos coming!

[@rustyshackleford5166]

From what I recall about Thomas the Tank engine, Toby was the only one with cow catchers. There was one episode I recall where Thomas had to "wear" a snow plow and hated it. Toby (number 7) had skirting all around his structure and probably worked on a farm whereas the others were on Sodor where there likely weren't any livestock. IIRC, the main characters were all open in the front. I wonder if Toby had a license for catching cows or something...

[@sgt_s4und3r54]

I'm not much into trains in my adult life because I'm into aviation war history more but I still remember how much I loved my electric train sets and find this stuff you make very facinating. Thank you for bringing us this history. Keep up the good work.

[@zacharysimpson3059]

I love how much I learn from your videos. I’ve tried to learn everything I can about steam locomotives since I was a little kid, but your videos make it so easy to find new information I’ve never heard or thought to look into. Keep up the good work. I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to go back to the Colorado Railroad museum and catch the 491 in action. The last time I visited I was really young and I don’t think it was in running condition. Maybe one day ☺️

[@lordraven1991]

Was kind of wondering when the museum would get around to finally restoring the 491 and the 20 to 100%, didn't realize that you have already, complete with their earned battle damage lol. I normally think of restoration as "restored to new again" but I guess restored to a in use era is still a restoration in of itself.

[@Hyce777]

Precisely!

[@bc-guy852]

Yes - and even tougher to restore it to a used condition. But worth the extra effort and attention to detail!

[@Lmiller201]

At 50 mph and tons behind you, you dont "nudge" anything, you launch it

[@axidhaus]

Cow 🐄 💨 launcher 🚀

[@vidard9863]

You would be amazed at how solid a fallen tree can be. "Nudging" it so the contact doesn't bind both happens at that speed and is critical at that speed.

[@RcMainia]

@@axidhaushow the cow jumped over the moon lol

[@gpawoodyshoneyhole]

I think the term cow catcher was more from my area the midwest. Where trains were hitting free range cows nearly every day and they needed things to help deflect them. Also helped with not blocking the track if one went under a train.

[@KPen3750]

I have my own fun story of 20 shenanigans. In 2019 as part of my senior year i had to do a 1 month internship. So being the bright eyed 18 year old i called strasburg and asked if they would take me for the month, and they surprisingly said yes. This coincides with the last month 20 was at strasburg so i was basically cindarella around the shop, chasing tools, parts, i got to help put on 20s stack and her petticote (i think thats what its called) inside the smokebox. Well there was a weird whistle whenever 20 chuffed for the first time under her own power. It turns out the blast nozzle gasket didnt have the divider piece in it so steam whistled in the gap. So we put about 50 PSI of air in her boiler and replicated the whistle and stuck a shim down the funnel to see if that was the issue. Turns out the drivers piston had the crosskey for the crosshead removed and that piston made an almighty BANG as it hit the cylinder head and broke 2 head studs. That was the day i learned how to magnaflux the piston.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I may have met Jeff before, without knowing it, on a trip to the CRRM. We were there just after 20 had been painted, and about a week before she was pulled out of the roundhouse for the public to see! We were kindly asked not to share photos of her yet, which we were happy to agree to.

[@loganfrancel9275]

What about switchers? Do the running boards count as pilots? And what about diesel locomotives? Is it just called a snow plow?

[@Hyce777]

Switching boards are considered pilot boards, or a switching pilot. I've heard both a pilot and snowplow for diesels.

[@CDROM-lq9iz]

I actually can answer this one, at least for where I work. Most modern(ish) diesels have a vertical plate on both ends of the frame. That can be called the "end sheet" or more often, "pilot." Many (but not all) locomotives do have an actual snowplow on the front. So, the short answer to your question is, if it has a plow, it's called a plow. If not, it's still just called a pilot. Also, a little snippet, pilots and snowplows have to have a certain height above the rail to meet FRA standards. A minimum of 3" and a maximum of 6"

[@Hyce777]

@@CDROM-lq9iz that sounds right. I recall hearing the term end sheet all the time. I've heard some say "pilot plow" as well. Either way, not a cowcatcher. :P

[@CDROM-lq9iz]

@@Hyce777 I believe on our test it uses the term "pilot height" but in practice it's whichever is closer to the rail. Also, while you're here I noticed a D&RGW SD40T-2 in the video and just thought I'd share that we have 2 former D&RGW SD40T-2s. The 5413 which I believe retains its original number, and the 5391 which is now the 5412.

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

The Most common standard Height for a pilot is 5.5 inches from the engineering drawings of locomotives all the way back to the locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice from 1909 all the way into modern engineering standards held within the FRA Laws to this day!@@CDROM-lq9iz

[@DungeonMetal]

Honestly not a train guy, though like many I am still interested and fascinated on histories of things and how things work. Massive shoutout to Hyce and others with channels like this. They are taking some very real time to communicate their passions and knowledge to the world, and that should be rewarded (especially when it is like this, preserving historical knowledge that wouldn’t make it to any real school book).

[@sarahyoung646]

Same! I have some love of trains, enough to ride them when I get the chance as a tourist (most recently Maine narrow Guage and the train at Dollywood) but have never studied them deeply. I do love learning, though, and this channel is looking to be a treasure!

[@georgekatkins]

Nicely presented, Hyce. You do a good job explaining things with simple humor and clarity.

[@steveanderson6523]

You are very diplomatic when referring to these items. May i suggest...'cow obliterators'! Excellent vid.

[@3henry214]

Or "hamburger helper" as that would be the results of a bovine encounter with one... 😉

[@greggorytame6672]

8:23 Seeing Mark next to a standard gauge engine reminds me of the time I accidently got HO figures for a friend's HON3 layout.

[@brucethebatcat5084]

Same scale! Just, narrow gauge trains are really, really tiny. HO and HOn3 share 1:87 scale, however HO is standard gauge (4’8 1/2”) whereas HOn3 refers to modeling 3ft gauge. As an example, 5629 would be HO while 191, 20, and 491 would be HOn3.

[@greggorytame6672]

@@brucethebatcat5084 I guess I got my scale names mixed up. What's the called when they run a model narrow gauge train on HO track then?

[@stephenhibma7387]

@@greggorytame6672 On30 equipment will run on standard gauge HO track.

[@flamedude_1111]

I always thought of the n3 in HOn3 stood for "Narrow 3 ft"

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

Bet they looked adorable tho lol

[@JakobNorthblood]

I also appreciated the knuckle-coupler on 5629 that seems to stow up for streamlining, and fold down when they need to use it. Very neat. Thank you for the education on engine pilots.

[@Foorman1239]

It's cool hearing how proud of these restorations you are, especially talking up your friend's work with the boiler tube. Shows how passionate you and your friends are about trains and history. My friend Daniel is very into trains, and he is coolest guy I know.

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

Beautiful work guys! I was always told that the pilot was a last ditch protection for the front of the engine, and you verified it. Kind of like a bumper on cars and trucks. The pilot was there to keep anything from hitting the front or getting under the wheels and derailing the engine. And the older ones were more like the grill of the car and trucks, it kept the protection, but allowed air to flow through. Cool videos and fun to watch!

[@CAMintmier]

Cowcatchers: Moo-ving things out of your way.

[@Hyce777]

Limes.

[@sitharc]

That was a subLIME pun and you know it, Hyce... I'm getting limed too now I know, lol.@@Hyce777

[@kornaros96]

​@@sitharclimes.

[@sitharc]

@@kornaros96 lime away

[@Steve_Milo]

This is in violation of the Geneva convention.

[@bjrnfrederiksson2505]

Love it Hyce. And you did put Eric in the end of the clip, i LOVE the shenanigans you guys make and it makes the video's and material's much more digestiable. I love and im gonna wait for the next video.

[@CobraDBlade]

I'm so incredibly jealous that your museum keeps the trains in running condition. In one of the towns I previously lived in they had a locomotive (Pere Marquette #1223) on display in a park near the river and I always wondered about how incredible it would be to see that beast thundering along, but it was forever confined to a short length of track behind a fence left to rot away in the sun hoping that there would be enough funding to replace the parts that fell off.

[@SpookyZalost]

We had something like that over in boulder near the museum Hyce is at. #30. Fortunately it was rescued from said park, restored by the Colorado railroad museum, and now runs the route up in george town. I remember as a kid before the fence went up I'd dream of being an engineer and actually running #30 myself... these days I just work on my jeep though.

[@drewbuter3443]

Just discovered ur channel about a week ago. My inner train lover has resurfaced. I had a massive HO layout in my child hood into my teens my father and I built. That I took over and made my own, did my own wiring track lay. And everything. And have a generational collection that dates back to my great grandfather, to my grand father to my great uncle, my father and my own. I’m putting my HO layout back up to commemorate all of these men in my life that have since passed on. Some of them ran the conventional rail way powered and rolling stock. Some like my grandfather created there own railways like my grandfather, and what I called his candy cane trains when I was very young. He called this railway eastern & jessup. Being we live in Maryland and the paint scheme was of course red and white. Excited to go back to the B&O museum this weekend and see my long time favorite C&O Allegheny 😁. Sorry for the lengthy comment just wanted to share my love for the railroads and let you know your awesome Hyce.

[@russellbarndt6579]

Your excitement in sharing the knowledge and experience you have made learning about this subject really cool . I appreciate your interest in sharing the knowledge you have

[@CarlMarx]

In Norway the "cow catcher" (kufanger) refers to the bar on trucks and semis. Narrow roads and lots of wildlife makes them useful for truckers, also for night and/or winter driving they are a nice place to put extra highbeams or ledbars

[@Wizarth]

Here in Australia, we call those "bull bars" (or "roo bars", depending on your background).

[@b.y.2460]

@@Wizarth Bull Bars in the states as well.

[@stevenjohnston3496]

Hey Hyce, that piece of equipment (the pilot) when found on streetcars,cable cars ect. is known as the fender. Curiously our friends across the pond refer to those things we call fenders(especially on bicycles) as mud guards.

[@balaclavaboi7785]

Hey Hyce did you know that when the flying Scotsman went on tour in the states during the late 60s they had to put a pilot on it aswell as all of the other safety equipment

[@dustin_4501]

The King, GWR King George V number 6000 also other loco that when to America, although since he never had to run long distances she never had to be modify to meet american standards.

[@CMDRSweeper]

While Hyce probably won't see your comment, you are correct. The Flying Scotsman history is amazing, and the locomotive almost didn't make it home to the UK either as the funds ran out and it was stranded.

[@davidty2006]

That still exists in Mcalpine's back yard.

[@mikebrown3772]

@@dustin_4501 Also both an LMS "Royal Scot" and a "Coronation" streamliner toured the USA in the 1930s equipped with bells and headlights but they ran extensively without pilots.

[@dustin_4501]

@@mikebrown3772 Although i didn't mention i did know this two when to the US.

[@sylvisterling8782]

My great grandfather was a brakeman (later a conductor) for the St. Louis & San Francisco RR (The "Frisco") between 1905 (or earlier) and 1950s. Back then, when he started, he worked "the Extra Board", meaning he was not ON a regular run, but was called in if someone was ill or injured. Eventually he DID get a regular run between Monett Missouri and Ft. Smith Arkansas. I still have his switch keys! I also have the little gold heart locket that he wore on his watch chain, and several pictures of him and the train crew in front of an engine. My grandmother taught me the whistle signals! I love the sound of train whistles in the night. I remember the day my grandmother broke down and wept... the day the government turned all the various RR companmies into "Amtrak"!! Her world was dying. "SHIP IT ON THE FRISCO!!

[@DielectricFailure]

Interesting. I grew up in Germany nearby a big collection of rail roads. Literally a massive intersection. So I appreciate this as trains remind me of a great childhood. Great presentation!

[@lawrencequave7361]

Many of us love (or at least appreciate) large, complex things like train engines and cars, airplanes and ships of all sorts and sizes, heavy construction equipment, and even tractor-trailer rigs. Why? Because they're so damn big and complex they ain't 'posta work--yet they do. Thank you, Hyce, for your excellent videos. You speak very clearly and with a smile. Makes watchin' your stuff really fun.

[@MrTea_Man]

“It’s made out of wood. It would probably break” had me giggling inside 😂

[@richardreid6377]

If it keeps the cow from getting under the pilot wheels and derailing the locomotive, a few broken boards are the cost of business. Expendable parts.

[@MervynPartin]

Having been involved with locomotives a few years back, I always referred to them as pilots, but I was absolutely shocked when you said that the early ones were made of wood. I never thought that they were made of anything but steel. Thank you for your enjoyable video. I have learned something new.👍

[@peoplez129]

It was soo early, there really wasn't much out there to even get in the way. Just the occasional animal. Of course these were also used to help clear snow too, but since early trains weren't that powerful, going through snow with something like a wedge shape would have actually been less efficient. Giving space for things to flow through is more efficient, because all they really needed was to break up the snow and inertia would do the rest. Wood was clearly just a cost effective way of doing it at first, because even with metal you'd have visible damage from a hard strike (not to mention it would add a lot of weight), and so wood was easier to source and replace early on, anywhere you were. If the first ones were steel, they might have lasted longer, but fuel efficiency would have been down, and if you needed to replace them, it'd probably be a long ways away to do so, since the point of early railroads was to connect wild towns to civilization, towns that wouldn't have had the resources for that kind of metal work, not to mention the amount of work needed to install it at the time. What does surprise me though is they didn't even bolt metal panels to the front of the wood for durability. That would have certainly made it quite more durable for a small amount of extra work, and much more aesthetically pleasing.

[@MervynPartin]

@@peoplez129Your comment certainly makes a lot of sense. Damaged wood can be replaced anywhere, but steel not so easy away from civilization.

[@littledragon4792]

Fun fact: In Swedish, the bumper of a car is often(*) called "kofångare", which means exactly the same thing as "cowcatcher". I have no idea how I found my way to this video, but I find engineering and skilled crafting so fascinating, and you are a great guide and teacher, so thank you! *) ...or "stötfångare", which I would translate to "bumpcatcher".

[@ShadowFalcon]

Same in Danish. Hardiharrr, potatoes, I know 😝 But we also call the bumpers on a car "kofangere" or "cow catchers" 👍

[@williamturk2330]

When I played tuba at NCSU, when leaving the stadium, we'd line up in cowcatcher formation ahead of the band. Our instructions were to stop for no one, especially at away games. We'd blow our horns to clear a path, which usually worked, but sometimes we'd have to give them a little bump.

[@andrewframe8046]

Yep. That big steam chest casting is the scariest part of a possible collision at a crossing. If a car hits any other part of the engine, we can fix it. If it hits and cracks the steam chest, that engine just became a boat anchor.

[@infernaldaedra]

That explains the almost pigiron quality of old anchors

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

I always understood 'cow catcher' to be more of an English term, and 'pilot' the correct US one. As your Swedish correspondent says, European locomotives have guard irons, which are intended to knock minor obstructions, such as maliciaously placed stones, off the rails. Did not some very early US engines have small brooms suspended from the pilot beam for a similar purpose? However some British and Irish narrow gauge engines, such as the Tralee & Dingle or Lynton & Barnstaple which ran through very wild country had them fitted. Some standard gauge lines, such as one of the old Highland Rlwys branches, or the Wisbech & Upwell also had them, the latter because it was a roadside tramway. (Think Toby and Mavis, if you're familiar with 'Thomas and Friends'.

[@sirusmaj]

"Moo" - best line ever.

[@rrice1705]

I've been watching your Derail Valley videos, and now KZbin recommended this to me. Very well done, thank you!

[@valkyrie321]

First time watching your videos, and I’m already subscribing. I love your upbeat attitude while providing context and historical accuracy.

[@MachRacer4]

681 has what is referred to as a “Road Pilot”. If it has a couple steps on the outer ends of the pilot like on the 20, it’s referred to as a “Switcher Pilot” due to the switcher steps were where the brakeman would stand during switching moves.

[@Hyce777]

Not quite. Switcher pilots usually had full footboards, rather than just the steps.

[@bond1j89]

The term cow catcher was first used in the late 1830s by Charles Babbage its inventor in a newspaper article. In a 1840 encyclopedia it is described as a angle or wedge shaped device attached to the pilot of a locomotive. In the 1940s and '50s, cowcatcher jumped the tracks and took on a new life in TV and radio advertising jargon. The term was used for a commercial that was aired immediately before a program and that advertised a secondary product of the program's sponsor. It was kinda a dark joke to Babbage who knew that it would most likely result in the animals death.

[@Hyce777]

Well that's nifty as hell!

[@bond1j89]

@@Hyce777 It is unknown if Babbage's invention was constructed or not, but it is also unknown whether later manufacturers were aware of Babbage's idea. Babbage is considered by some to be "father of the computer". There is a rumor that It is Babbage's design on the front of the John Bull. After a short time in service crews realized that the locomotive was too heavy for the trackage used on the C&A, its 10-ton frame simply could not be supported, which caused numerous derailments. To correct this problem the engine was given a front, pilot axle to help guide it into curves, which kept it from derailing so often. Curiously, workers decided to add affix a cow-catcher to this lead axle as nothing more than an afterthought in 1838, a feature that later became quite useful in larger models like the 4-4-0 American. To add the pilot axle, however, required the removal of the coupling rod between the two main axles. Because of this the John Bull's only powered wheel-set was the rear axle, closest to the control stand although it was still listed as a 2-4-0.

[@nostalgiccameralife]

Alas, the story is likely not true. Babbage, in his 1864 autobiography states that a few days after William Huskisson was killed on the L&M in 1830, he was having dinner with some of the company men. The subject came up and Babbage suggested than an iron bar be fixed at a 45 degree angle just ahead of the leading wheels of the locomotive, which would in effect push anything in front of the locomotive off the line in the event of a collision. Babbage does not refer to his idea as a "cow catcher", and further states that when his fellow diners told him to take his idea to the company directors, he declined to do so. So no, Babbage did not invent the term, nor did he take any steps to actually implement his guard bar. Lastly, the only proof of this conversation comes from Babbage himself, several decades after the fact. There is no contemporary evidence for his claim. His book is titled "Passages From the Life of a Philosopher" and is well worth reading. The earliest use of the term "cow catcher" that I have seen dates from 1835, and has nothing to do with Babbage.

[@notinterested8452]

😂 because it looks like a handsome mustache AKA cowcatcher. I'll see myself out.

[@vegetable2139]

The speed that the member list has to go now is hilarious 😂

[@ThomasBaxter]

This was fun and informative... also the first glimpse of seen of the rolling stock at this museum. It'd be a tall order for me to visit from up here in Quebec, but dang they do look might fine!

[@stephenrose8188]

Well you've put me right on the use of the term 'Cowcatcher' as a Brit and always a railway lover (along with just about anything that rolls, flies or floats) I grew up believing the term was correct. You may be aware that we do not use these devices in the UK as most trackways are fenced but you've got an awful lot more mileage than us and we just don't generally get cattle / livestock wandering onto the tracks. People sometimes though! Really good video about a much ignored piece of kit that is so iconic of North American locomotives. Our front beam is of course called a 'Buffer beam', early locomotives had wooden ones and later steel was pretty universal and remains so. Our 'Buffers' are sprung and thus are about 12" in diameter. This is featured back and front on every unit in the whole train. But today that is something I have learned to think a bit more about. Thank you!

[@Cragified]

Pilot (Archaic) - Guide or Leader : Now you know why it's called a pilot. It lead the train and locomotive down the track. This is where all the modern uses of the word originate from. Pilot episode - lead episode as a prototype. Pilot light - leads the main burner ignition and has to be present for it to happen.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

I used to dog catch for BNSF crews, and chatting, one crewmember said late one night they were moving a freight fast and a lone cow appeared on the tracks; He was snickering because he was imagining when the farmer found the cow back in the field and wondered what had happened to it: He said when they hit it, the cow flew about 100 feet and landed in a pasture where the other cows were where it had probably come from 😲

[@quantisedspace7047]

Ah, so that's how cattle m*tilations happen.

[@The_Kakaó_mester13]

I can say it didnt work that one time the k36 did it if it was a cow catcher

[@coldblazinfire]

Thanks for the video! I have been to the museum and I encourage everyone to visit the museum to take in the history. I appreciate the dedication and hard work of the people that take care of the museum and its contents. The roundhouse is impressive…

[@martinaak2539]

Good tune at the end. I enjoyed the whole video including the musical wrap-up and, that final "moo" ! 😀

[@flamedude_1111]

Saying pilot truck sounds cooler than leading truck in my opinion.

[@C.I...]

I've heard it called a "Pony Truck" at a local railway (UK).

[@nitelast]

​@C.H.. Apparently, that depends on the number of axels, with a pony truck only having 1, otherwise it seems to just be called a leading truck (or pilot truck, or leading axle). Looked it up just in case because I'd only heard the term pony truck referring to a set at the back. (also UK)

[@Nebulosation]

I can't get over how cheerful and friendly you present yourself in your videos as you nerd out about these things. It's lovely!

[@foellerd]

These days the argument for “human catcher” could be made. Ya I went there, it’s true though.

[@Madcattlx]

There were actually a whole series of human catching devices made for street cars/trolleys. I know someone did a whole video on them but can't remember who.

[@C.I...]

@@Madcattlx That would be "Train of Thought".

[@4rumani]

This comment is complete nonsense. How is a "these days" thing. How would it prevent damage to the locomotive or the human.

[@richardmillhousenixon]

​@@4rumaniPrevent damage to the human? No. But it would prevent damage to the loco, just in the same way as the reinforced pilot on the express engine

[@mast3gam3r18]

The name "human catcher" sounds a bit messy. And I mean that in the literal sense, if you know what I mean🚂😱💥💀👀😨🤮

[@Cubestone]

I worked at the museum over 50 years ago as a teenager. I can vouch for your statement. (So long ago that I knew, and actually petted K. Itty.) You all have done tremendous work preserving our history and are on my short list for a return visit now that I'm retired. We used to get a good laugh at some of the strange things tourists would say (not in their presence.) Now you can laugh at Internet comments. 😅

[@vanmanmarc]

I'm not a train guy, but was interested in the correct term for the pilot as I am one of those who called them cow catchers. I found this video very interesting and informative. I would would like to add you have a great presenting style. You are animated enough to be entertaining yet not so much you are annoying. I also admire you for promoting your friends and not yourself. Something some presenters could learn from.

[@johnandrus3901]

I'm a retired railroader and I've always referred to them as cowcatchers. I probably learned that term from my dad. I know that the correct term is pilot. I call the front end of diesels pilots, although it looks more like a plow to move snow out of the way. Cow catchers on steam engines and pilots on diesels.

[@JoeR203]

Cow Launcher.

[@bc-guy852]

I'm not really 'a trainguy' but I think this is a great channel! This is a great video and I am grateful that there are people who do this difficult work to bring this bit of history to a state where it can be used to teach and entertain. Well done! Thanks for your energy and your enthusiasm! And congratulations on (virtually hitting) 100 K - you've earned that KZbin Play Button plaque!

[@uslanja]

My grandfather was a locomotive engineer for the CN (Canadian National Railroad) He ran the Wayfreight out of Fort Erie to St.Thomas. I remember as a young child climbing up into the cab of a steam locomotive before they pulled out of town. Not much room in there. The firebox door was open and the fireman was shoveling at a good pace while they were building steam. Still an awesome memory for this old man. Have always loved trains as far back as I can remember.

[@oc2phish07]

Thanks Hyce, yes, I learned something today and generally speaking I learn something from each of your videos. Well Done.

[@ALL_OUT_OF_BUBBLEGUM]

I've never been on a train (Knoebel's, Dorney Park and Bushkill Park notwithstanding) but I LOVE that there are people keeping this archaic technology alive so people can still learn from and experience it. It's so amazing to think that's how passengers and freight were moved and how it revolutionized society at the time.

[@carolynraley4047]

Wonderful info. Thanks so much. I was getting motioin sickness from the close-up camera angle, but I appreciate your depth of knowledge! I love watching trains but know nothing about them, so you're helping me fix that situation. Thanks! 😀

[@lapdogg]

Holy moly!!! I used to work with Jeff Taylor and Ashley when I was a ride mechanic at Knott's Berry Farm!! I thought that handiwork looked Taylor made! Very cool!! Tell Jeff and Ashley that Lori says hello!! 😁

[@danielabrams4407]

what a video to end a day to! saw it randomly and something just drew me haha i was so engrossed in learning about the pilot and beam i was like noooo when the credits started rolling. definitely subbed!

[@iMazyoda]

First video I've ever watched about steam locos! I must say I'm entranced and now have a new addiction! Fantastic video 😊

[@gregorydahlen2103]

Loved you clear descriptions with demonstrable hardware!

[@bigrollinghome2091]

I visited this museum about 30 years ago .. and then headed up to the Alpine Tunnel ... kind of an extreme drive over Hancock Pass!

[@sabertoothanimations2912]

Honestly loved how you explained it, few ever actually mention it and why that name stuck with them, which i feel is a shame cause its such a cool history behind why it was. keep up the videos my guy ^^

[@patrykmazurkiewicz3128]

so What is it then? 9:21 - here is the answer :) - the entire video is great, I watched end-to-end :)

[@mari.s752]

A subject that I literally have no interest in --- until just now. You made this quite interesting and to my surprise I actually watched all the way through. Looking forward to more.

[@aybabtu]

The amazing thing about youtube is that sometimes you enjoy learning something that you didn't even know you wanted to learn.

[@mattwilliams3456]

Glad to see the museum is still going strong. I spent a fair bit of weekends there in 2000-01 while attending gunsmithing school in Lakewood. For Halloween one year build a Mayan pyramid on the front of one of the engines…

[@ondrejsedlak4935]

Always struck me as a cow puree system. Speaking of cows, one of my workmates in Australia told me a story which his railway worker dad told him. One day, their train hit a cow and of course sent it to beef heaven. They wrote up the report and handed it in to the boss. The boss had a look at it and asked them to clarify if the cow was on the tracks when they hit it. Without missing a beat, the train driver said they made the engine jump the tracks and chased the cow through the field.

[@pharbman]

Brilliant sharing! Thank you brother. I still love the old school trains. I'm a new sub and I'm looking to catch up on all the content.... Thank you and Happy Holidays!

[@Hyce777]

Cheers! Glad you enjoy, and happy holidays to you as well.

[@tatesmith9085]

Similar to trucks having a "Push bar" which in 90% of cases you arent going to use it to actually push things its mostly for protecting the bumper and lights from going through dense brush and bushes while off-roading. but the name stayed.

[@derAtze]

So its more like a bush bar

[@geneo1976]

My grandpa was a brakeman on the railroad in the '60s. He worked on the transfer station where they transfered railroad cars onto a barge that crossed the Mississippi River. The pilings that the barge tied off to are still visible when the river is very low.

[@trishtomes493]

In 1964, I rode the train across Mexico's Barrancas de Cobre. That was just the 3rd year of the train which was much smaller than the ones I saw later. It must have crossed through many ranch grazing areas. I didn't look at the front of the engine when we left Chihuahua but I did see many cows go flying right and left as the train sped along.

[@seanryan3020]

My wife and I went to the air museum in Centennial last summer and decided that the Colorado Railroad Museum is next on our list of day trips (when I get back from working in Africa, that is)!

[@ronaldstokes4841]

Whatever that thing was called when it first came out, its purpose was to protect against derailment from any debris on the track. Knowing the clever snarkiness of humanity, people grinningly call'd it a 'Cowcatcher', as we call a mustache a 'Cookie Duster." It caught on... I think it's cool.

[@Metal1667]

I got here through a video explaining how to run an ad blocker and this is the most wholesome random video of an enthusiastic person I've ever seen in my life.

[@TrainNerd97]

The fact #20 has all those dents in it's cowcat- *catches self* I mean pilot, and had, as you put it Hyce, many shenanigans on the RGS, just makes me WISH it and all trains can talk! Good GOLLY, imagine the stories we'd hear!

[@lsswappedcessna]

these old steamers would talk your ear off about the good old days, and I imagine the diesel electric haulers and shunters, being blue collar, would probably be rather vulgar and talk quite a lot of shit.

[@richdiscoveries]

I like the dents and the small holes. I know they might not look that appealing, but it is still part of each locomotives history. Kind of like with old cars. Each little dent or scratch tell us a story of its past. We might not know that story, but at one time somebody somewhere did. Someone could have backed into another car in a parking lot in the 1950s, it could have been involved in a traffic incident in the 1960s. It may be unappealing to look at, but it was probably the center of a heated argument at some point

[@larag4646]

Thanks for helping keep these steam engines rolling. My family has been in railroad since the 1800's and people who keep them running are to thank for me being able to see what my great and great, great grandpa worked on.

[@EireHammer]

I remember an exhibit back in the 90's at the Baltimore train museum that called the "cow catcher" a "bison/buffalo pusher" and the text went on to explain that the pusher on the front of the lead was there to protect the train from fallen trees and rocks on the track and the "pushing" of any cattle was plainly a secondary or accidental function though given the speeds most trains would be traveling...most likely just kept the carcass from impacting the train.

[@QuantumRift]

Thank you for the video, I learned something new! I'm not what you'd call a train 'buff' but I enjoy your videos!!!

[@artierosesmithie9191]

My grandfather was a brakeman on the lines in New England, he would walk the top to apply the brakes. He also used lanterns and such to communicate with the engineer. Our town had what were called cripple tracks where locomotives were worked on etc. Had a nice station where we get tourists from Cannada and all over America. Now it is a park and a strip mall with pharmacy grocery store and a restaurant and pub. The station leaving was a shame, it could have been a historic building and welcome center, but some short-sighted fool chose to tear it down.

[@AndyZach]

Liked and subscribed. I had an S gauge model train (American Flyer) as a kid and I still love locomotives and railroad technology. I knew about the history of 'cow-catchers' but I didn't know the name 'pilot'. But I knew the name of the pilot wheels. My model locomotive was a 4-4-2 and I got it when I was 5 or so.

[@motorv8N]

Great lesson - thanks! Wonderful old beasts - great to see them taken care of and preserved.

[@davidt8438]

They were originally put on the front of engines because of where the tracks often went. So much of the route was cut in between mountains or hills and rocks would continue to fall for years as the vibrations from an approaching railroad would vibrate them loose where they would fall down the mountain (some rather large) and the “cow catcher” would be able to push the rocks clear of the tracks.

[@srice8959]

I’m a Union Boilermaker Local #37 IBB myself, and I work primarily in Powerhouses Generating Boilers. Anywhere from 300MW up to 1600 Megawatt Boilers. I also work in Refineries, Steel Mills, Chemical Plants, and other industries that use High Pressure units. An after Katrina had destroyed our Fence, and Roofs. My Brother, a friend and myself put up a new fence I didn’t want to have to put up a new fence for a long time again. So I poured a Cement Chainwall an instead of using traditional fence posts I had took a bunch of Boiler Water-Wall Tubes from a boiler we had completely Re Tubed from the Headers down. Instead of using the traditional 8’ Fence post with 2’ of it buried. I cut the Heavy Wall Boiler Tubes at 10’ and buried them 4’ into the ground. We’ve had Tropical Storms, Wind Storms, a small tornado, and a Hurricanes hit us. An from the strength of the fence you’d have never known. We even had an idiot drunk driver side swipe the fence. An of course the pickup truck destroyed the the wooden fence boards, but the vertical Boiler Tubes stood strong. The Tubes did wreck the hell outta the guys cab door and rear quarter panel.

[@brentmcwilliams4332]

There is a real lack of cow catcher material across the internet. Thank you. I still remember being told as a child by my step father that Isaac Drips invented the cow catcher. I don't know where he got that information from but he was a lawyer.