Tram loco crews...?

[Zerogee]

A quick question related to the Fiery Elias tram that I'm in the process of chipping (see thread in DCC section); did these little locos tend to be crewed by one or two men in real life? LGB of course only provides a driver figure on the left side of the tram, and I'm assuming that if a fireman was also used then he would normally be on the right of the boiler, as the coal bunker is in the rear right corner? There is no way for crew to move from one side of the boiler to the other - aside from dismounting of course - apart from squeezing through a very tiny (and probably very hot!) gap at the back of the firebox, so I'd assume that each crew member pretty much stayed on his own side of the loco.
There appear to be firebox doors on both sides, so I presume that the tram COULD be operated single-handed if necessary, assuming this detail is prototypically correct?

Jon.

 

[Zerogee]

.............

OK, so I should squeeze 17 people onto the footplates?
Good job there's no Elf'n'Safety in my little world! Mind you, I don't think there is on most real Central and Eastern European narrow-gauge lines either.....

Jon.

 

[Dtsteam]

I would have said one for a steam tram running in a town or city, but but this image, and one or two others, show 2. The OEG was more like the Vicinal with long stretches of continuous running, so two in the cab would make sense.

 

[Dtsteam]

I wish I'd taken it. It was all Duwag trams by the time I got to the area - not even a red hopper wagon !

 

[dunnyrail]

I stayed with a friend of mine in Worms and we went over to Heildelburg on I think the Saturday. En route we passed a Quarry where there were loads of the OEG Hopper Wagns still in use. This would have been around 1974. The line has fascinated me ever since. I went to a Plandampf in the area around 6 or so years ago and made sure that I traveled the full circle of the OEG Tram System. Lo and behold at a depot there were some of the Hoppers now in use for Engineering Works. The Gravel Quarry has long since closed, but the Depot at I think Vernheim where there were many preserved Steam Engines in my earlier trip is still present but firmly closed. If I can find them I will lift up pictures of the Hoppers.

 

[Neil Robinson]

OK, so I should squeeze 17 people onto the footplates?
Good job there's no Elf'n'Safety in my little world! Mind you, I don't think there is on most real Central and Eastern European narrow-gauge lines either.....
Jon.

I think Elf'n'Safety is the key to the answer to the original question.
Typically internal combustion or straight electric traction has some form of "dead man's handle" safety device to bring the train to a steady halt should the driver fall ill or asleep. Such a device may exist for steam locos but if so it's very rare therefore steam is usually double manned.

 

[Zerogee]

Thanks Neil! A good point.
I'll try putting some crew in the Elias today, and see if there is enough room for a fireman to stand on the right hand side of the boiler now that the speaker is tucked in there!

Jon.

 

[Zerogee]

You could always cut his legs off.

A little harsh - but yes, you're right!
I'll report later on tests with both Preiser and Bachmann to see which fit the best....

Jon.

 

[dunnyrail]

As promised here is the Picture of the OEG Hoppers that I took at the depot near Heidelburg in October 2007. Apologies for the fencing.

JonD

 

[themole]

On most tram engines the loco was crewed by one person. The firebox was located on the same side of the boiler as the controls.

 

[Zerogee]

Thanks for the pics, Alyn; the Elias has firebox doors on both sides, so I'm assuming it's built to allow either one OR two man operation. Mine has now received two crew, anyway, as shown in my other thread about chipping it.

Jon.

 

[themole]

Fine Jon, Elias was built by Henschel, the pictures I posted were of a Krauss tramway Lok. Alyn