Water crane

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Water crane in Kladno, Czech Republic
Water crane in Kladno, Czech Republic
Water crane in Stützerbach, Germany
Water crane in Stützerbach, Germany

Water crane is a device used for delivering a large volume of water into tank or tender of a steam locomotive. As a steam locomotive consumes several times more water than coal, water cranes once used to be a vital part of railway stations, often situated at the end of a platform, so that water could be refilled during stop at the station. The water crane consists in general of upright steel pipe of large diametre with another pipe flexible connected to its upper end so as it forms a rotating arm, sometimes with a funnel. Such a device, usually supplied from a special water reservoir owned by the railway company, was able to deliver from one up to ten cubic metres of water per minute.

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