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The Mack Super Pumper was a locomotive engined fire fighter (2018)

(bangshift.com)
168 points mstngl | 1 comments | 03 Nov 25 20:37 UTC | HN request time: 0.198s | source
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giobox ◴[03 Nov 25 21:23 UTC] No.45804622[source]▶
That "deltic" engine just for the water pumping is incredible, I'd never seen that cylinder layout before.

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Deltic

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ggm ◴[03 Nov 25 21:41 UTC] No.45804791[source]▶
The type 55 "deltic" locomotives, named after army regiments used to do the east coast Edinburgh-London train run, there were 22 of them in service and one in the science museum London. They had the first 100mph rating for diesel passenger service.

The engine had a unique characteristic whine or whistle. As an avid train spotter at Waverley station in edinburgh I loved hearing it, saw every one and was in the cab of two thanks to long suffering kind engine drivers.

There was a mini deltic too. I'm not sure it went beyond a testbed loco.

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1. ErroneousBosh ◴[04 Nov 25 10:24 UTC] No.45809365[source]▶
About 12 years ago they used to use 55022 as a shunter at Springburn yard, because it was "road legal" and could couple up to older carriages that were being taken in for refurbishment. Nice cushy retirement job, easy shifts and a well-appointed engine shed to park up it at night ;-)

I used to hear it all the time, working in a nearby industrial site. I'd maybe just take five minutes to sit outside and drink my coffee, listening to that weird shimmering howl.

There are no good recordings of it on Youtube and I suspect like a lot of things you have to experience it for yourself.