Steam & Excursion > C&TSRR = Shoveling Coal

A look at Fireman Students at the August 2015 Engineer / Fireman School

Roger Hogan
Chama, NM
Train Stuff

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I feel their pain.  I'm an old fart with a sore back and it hurts to watch this.   I'll wait til they get an oil burner, I know how to fire them.  Seriously I'd love to do this.  I miss being in that right seat.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> I feel their pain.  I'm an old fart with a sore
> back and it hurts to watch this.   I'll wait til
> they get an oil burner, I know how to fire them. 
> Seriously I'd love to do this.  I miss being in
> that right seat.

Its hard work but every student seems to enjoy doing it.

Roger Hogan
Chama, NM
Train Stuff

Didn't see either of these firemen take a look at their water.  I imagine someone in the cab was watching it.

Fireman #2 made the classic mistake of not having the firedoor fully open when he was positioned to throw the scoop.  He made a nice recovery, though, and avoided smashing the shovel into the doors, and spilling it onto the deck (plus personal humiliation and small amount of physical pain).

Engineer seemed to have a handle on it - quadrant 'bout 5 notches off center.  That's usually 'bout a good place to be on a slow, hard workin' Walschaert engine.

The size of the coal used out there amazes me.  Those are HUGE!!!! chunks.  That's great for them, since it works with whatever it is that they're buying. 

-Larry Doyle

LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> Didn't see either of these firemen take a look at
> their water.  I imagine someone in the cab was
> watching it.
>
> Fireman #2 made the classic mistake of not having
> the firedoor fully open when he was positioned to
> throw the scoop.  He made a nice recovery,
> though, and avoided smashing the shovel into the
> doors, and spilling it onto the deck (plus
> personal humiliation and small amount of physical
> pain).
>
> Engineer seemed to have a handle on it - quadrant
> 'bout 5 notches off center.  That's usually 'bout
> a good place to be on a slow, hard workin'
> Walschaert engine.
>
> The size of the coal used out there amazes me. 
> Those are HUGE!!!! chunks.  That's great for
> them, since it works with whatever it is that
> they're buying. 
>
> -Larry Doyle

A instructor and 2 students in the cab on the firman side so I am sure the water was checked.

Roger Hogan
Chama, NM
Train Stuff

What happens if somebody throws a shovel into the firebox, do they go buy another one.  Rookie mistake. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/15 22:44 by czuleget.

czuleget Wrote:
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> What happens if somebody throws a shovel into the
> firebox, do they got to buy another one.  Rookie
> mistake. 

I haven't seen that yet.

Roger Hogan
Chama, NM
Train Stuff

Never seen it either but Harry (our fireman trainer) told me that the shovel has gone in before. There are two shovels and a rake on the tender so you just fish it out with the other tools. 

The video must be from early in the class. Most everyone figures out the motion by day two or three.....butt against the seat or cab edge, left foot right beside the pedal then scoop, twist your torso and hit the pedal in the same motion, and throw the coal in one motion as you bring the shovel up off the tender floor and pivot. Walking around with a loaded shovel makes it a lot harder.

You must be in good cardio shape to shovel up to Cumbres without a break. Harry told me that the passenger trains require 12-15 scoops a minute to get up the hill. I'd guess that we did 6-8 with the school train. Maybe with a full class of six you can slip by but I did it with three in the class which meant very limited rest time. I didn't like giving up the shovel but everyone helps out if you need a break. I did plenty of squats and deadlifts to prep before I went but shoveling at 8-10k feet kicked my butt Cardio-wise. You get used to it and I was good by day three and was kind of viewing it as just a cardio workout with interval training. The other two firemen in my class did just fine as well. Harry told me that he trains in the off-season by running a hill behind his house and shoveling with a weighted scoop and gradually working up to 100+ repetitions.

All in all, it was a once in a lifetime experience and I wouldn't have missed it, in shape or not. It's fun and I wouldn't let physical condition get in the way. Plenty of folks older than me (50) have done it and if you get winded, your partner or the trainer will spell you until you are ready to go again.

Greg Davis
St Pete, FL

gdaltondavis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never seen it either but Harry (our fireman
> trainer) told me that the shovel has gone in
> before. There are two shovels and a rake on the
> tender so you just fish it out with the other
> tools. 
>
> The video must be from early in the class. Most
> everyone figures out the motion by day two or
> three.....butt against the seat or cab edge, left
> foot right beside the pedal then scoop, twist your
> torso and hit the pedal in the same motion, and
> throw the coal in one motion as you bring the
> shovel up off the tender floor and pivot. Walking
> around with a loaded shovel makes it a lot
> harder.
>
> You must be in good cardio shape to shovel up to
> Cumbres without a break. Harry told me that the
> passenger trains require 12-15 scoops a minute to
> get up the hill. I'd guess that we did 6-8 with
> the school train. Maybe with a full class of six
> you can slip by but I did it with three in the
> class which meant very limited rest time. I didn't
> like giving up the shovel but everyone helps out
> if you need a break. I did plenty of squats and
> deadlifts to prep before I went but shoveling at
> 8-10k feet kicked my butt Cardio-wise. You get
> used to it and I was good by day three and was
> kind of viewing it as just a cardio workout with
> interval training. The other two firemen in my
> class did just fine as well. Harry told me that he
> trains in the off-season by running a hill behind
> his house and shoveling with a weighted scoop and
> gradually working up to 100+ repetitions.
>
> All in all, it was a once in a lifetime experience
> and I wouldn't have missed it, in shape or not.
> It's fun and I wouldn't let physical condition get
> in the way. Plenty of folks older than me (50)
> have done it and if you get winded, your partner
> or the trainer will spell you until you are ready
> to go again.
>
> Greg Davis
> St Pete, FL

Hi Greg, thanks for your post.
 

Roger Hogan
Chama, NM
Train Stuff