The Traveling Engineers' Association to Improve the Locomotive Engine Service of American Railroads Part 10

A. Yes.

46. Q. Do you realize that on first closing throttle you should not adjust fire too low? Explain best method.

A. Yes. I would allow steam pressure to fall back some fifteen pounds before throttle is closed and on having closed same leave a good fire in box, allowing it to cool gradually to avoid leaky flues, broken staybolts, cracked sheets caused by sudden fall of temperature.

47. Q. How is the flow of oil controlled?

A. By the valves in tank and pipe connections.

48. Q. Name these valves, their location and purpose.

A. The safety valve controls the flow of oil from the fuel oil tank through an opening in bottom sheet of tank to the pipes leading to burner. This valve is forced to its seat by a heavy spring and is held off its seat by a key in the upright rod extending above the top of tank. To this key a rope or chain is attached and also attached to the cab to cause the pin in rod to be pulled in case of a separation between engine and tank and allow the valve to be seated by its spring and avoid a waste of oil. The second or main oil valve is located in oil pipe under deck leading to burner. It is usually of the plug-c.o.c.k pattern connected by bell crank and this connected to some part of the engine by chain, in which case it also acts as a safety valve in case of separation between engine and tender. In other cases it is connected by an operating rod extending above deck of tender where it can be operated by hand in case of safety valves failure to shut off the flow of oil.

The third or firing valve is usually located between heater box and burner, and is provided with an upright rod extending into cab where it is provided with a handle or lever in position to be conveniently handled by fireman while seated in cab. This valve regulates the flow of oil desired to reach the fire.

49. Q. When shutting out fire which valve should be closed first? Why?

A. The safety valve. To allow the oil in pipes to be consumed and to see that this valve is in working order.

50. Q. Should safety valve fail to shut off the flow of oil in such cases would it be safe to rely on the firing valve to shut off the fire?

A. No. The main valve should then be closed.

51. Q. Should the firing valve be depended upon to shut off the fire at any time? Why?

A. No. From constant use they are frequently leaking and the trouble is not detected while in use, and again there is always danger of the handle being moved by workmen or others about the cab.

52. Q. What is a heater box?

A. It is an apparatus having two pa.s.sages, one for steam pa.s.sing from boiler to heater pipes in tank and another pa.s.sage for oil from tank before it is delivered to burner. In this manner the oil before reaching the burner is heated much higher than the temperature of that contained in tank.

53. Q. In the event of the heater pipes or connections becoming defective, how could the oil be heated in tank?

A. By closing the firing valve, closing the valve on heater pipe, and opening valve on heater box, the steam from heater throttle can be pa.s.sed directly through the oil feed pipe to the fuel supply.

54. Q. In the event of an objectionable quant.i.ty of water in oil, how can it be removed?

A. In some instances the tanks are provided with drain pipes for this purpose, but in the absence of same, the feed hose or pipe between engine and tank can be disconnected and used as a drain to fuel oil tank.

55. Q. What effect has leaks between fuel tank and firing valve?

A. A waste of oil only.

56. Q. What effect has leaks between firing valve and burner?

A. In addition to a loss of oil while fire is burning low, and but little steam atomizer being used, it interferes very materially with the engine's steaming by admitting air when using considerable steam atomizer. This causes a very irregular oil feed.

57. Q. What action of the fire would indicate leaks in pipes between firing valve and burner?

A. The fire-box will give off sounds similar to slight explosions, and the smoke at stack will indicate irregular fuel feeding.

58. Q. What would you consider the proper adjustment of burner?

A. That which will provide for the delivery of the oil from burner to flash wall without striking arch, side walls, or floor brick while doing so.

59. Q. In case it becomes necessary to fire up an oil burning engine with wood, what parts should be given particular attention?

A. The brick work. To see that same is not damaged or displaced while placing the wood in fire-box, also to protect by placing brick over that portion of burner extending into fire-box ahead of mud ring, or by so arranging the wood in fire-box as to prevent any great amount of heat from reaching the burner and melting nozzle of same.

60. Q. In case of sudden drop in steam pressure, what might be the cause?

A. Loose brick perhaps fallen in front of burner and obstructed the flow of oil. The petticoat pipe may be loose and out of line or the dampers may have fallen shut.

61. Q. In case brick have fallen in front of burner, how can they be removed?

A. By a hook provided for that purpose. They can usually be forced out through the vent openings, but if this cannot be done, they should be thrown against the blast wall in order to get them as far as possible out of the course of the fuel feed.

62. Q. In case a petticoat pipe becomes deranged, what can be done?

A. In case it cannot be put back in proper position, it should be removed altogether. (Trips have been successfully completed in this manner.)

63. Q. Will a corroded burner mouth prevent the proper delivery of fuel to fire?

A. Yes.

64. Q. What causes the mouth of burner to corrode?

A. The asphaltum and sand contained in the oil.

65. Q. How can this be removed on the road?

A. By having a hook or rod provided with a point that can be inserted into mouth of burner.

66. Q. Why should a fuel oil tank not be filled to its holding capacity?

A. Because when heater is applied the oil would expand and overflow.

67. Q. In case of derailment or other accident that might cause the fireman to desert his position in cab, what should he do?

A. Pull key out of safety valve rod, thereby allowing oil feed from tank to be shut off.

=MECHANICAL EXAMINATION=

THIRD SERIES

1. Q. What are the duties of an engineman before attaching a locomotive to the train?