Re: Automatic Bell Questions

The air goes into the "T" fitting (which is WAY COOL being marked "D&SL!") this fitting stays loose on the threads to the left. On the small pipe coming out of the threaded fitting you run a copper line up and into the top of the bell. This provides the air to the ringer. By keeping the fitting and the threaded part loose (looks like a pipe nipple with a small pipe attached to the top), you can still swing the bell The left side of the "D&SL" piece is a packing nut to seal the threaded fitting so the air doesn't leak out.

The is the same air ringer used on the NG. They are single acting ringers, hitting the bell in one direction only - just like modern diesel bells.

In fact, I've always called them "Diesel Ringers"

Dave's pic shows the earlier type that had a vertical piston that swung the entire bell. These sound much better, but are more troublesome to keep running right. 463 has one of these. We had them on the engines in Rusk too.

If you look at the bell you can see there is cast-in mounting bracket for the older style ringer. The NG big power has these too.