Air repeater car

I am going to build one of these for my MOW fleet. BNH8, however, I was wondering what they are used for. My assumption is to power air tools for MOW crews?

http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/RAILCARS/WORK/H6.HTM

 

SP Air Repeater car

SP air repeater car from Richard Percy's Espee Modeler's Website.

The website states, "The repeater air car is utilized to increase efficiency of train air brakes on long trains and during cold weather. The purpose of repeater relay equipment is to accept pneumatic signals from the brake pipe of forward portion of a train, and by relay action, produce a corresponding response in the brake pipe of the rear section of the train."

Lots more pictures here.

Not sure if this is consistent throughout the other companies.

 

Tony,

I think they are used to heat the air in the brake system when temperatures approach and pass the zero mark.

EDIT: So maybe it doesn't heat the air, just takes the fluctuations and gives 'em some ooomph?

 

Thanks guys. Sounds like a good model to make and have sitting around the yard.

 

I remember an MRR article in the 1980's on scratchbuilding one of these. Wish I could remember the exact issue!

Russ

 

I like that roof detail in the first BN photo. That should be a cool model!

 

I thought the same thing. I have a delux 40 foot box car that I am using as a starting point.

 

I also wondered if it was a forty, but couldn't tell because of the photo angle. Neat stuff.