Re: D&RGW K-37's

Kevin,
The addition of coal boards, a doghouse, and the later flying herald accts. for the reason the tender tanks lost their sleeker look from the factory.
The added air cylinder you refer to (usually slung at an angle just behind and under the pilot platform) is for the pony truck flanger. When the reservior is charged, the flanger is in the raised position. Exhausting the air from a valve in the cab drops the flanger to the appropriate position to clear the flangeways of snow. On smaller locos. you will see where they sometimes mounted the cylinder directly in the middle of the platform ahead of the smokebox. The actual brake cylinders on the big K's are mounted underneath the boiler and inside the frame, at the forward drivers.