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Steam & Excursion > BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958Date: 12/02/18 12:18 BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: valmont Here are a couple of Bruce Black's shots from another of his chases, this time a big DM&IR Yellowstone with loads near Saginaw, MN on Aug. 25, 1957. Engine number of this 2-8-8-4 is 236. Info I found shows the DM&IR acquired #236 in 1943 and had it until 1962. Not sure when it last ran, but it sure was running in 1958!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/18 14:23 by valmont. Date: 12/02/18 13:51 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: highgreengraphics "I left my heart - in Saginaw, Michigan", but I believe that's Saginaw, MN and not MI. Great shots. === === = === JLH
Date: 12/02/18 14:24 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: valmont highgreengraphics Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > "I left my heart - in Saginaw, Michigan", but I > believe that's Saginaw, MN and not MI. Great > shots. === === = === JLH thanks, made change Date: 12/02/18 15:09 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: LarryDoyle Look at the size of that rail!
I believe only the PRR and the DM&IR used this 152 lb. rail. At 8 inches tall it was fully an inch taller than any other in conventional railroad service (except streetcar raill was up to 9" tall - not to support the weight, but due to paving streets with Belgian blocks.) Also, note this railroad is left-hand running. -LD Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/18 15:46 by LarryDoyle. Date: 12/02/18 15:18 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 The fire, in both photos appears to be WHITE HOT!!!
Thats a perfect ‘stack color’ —- that’s what a properly ‘loaded’ engine & fire will look like. The superheat is right up there, too. I’d bet the steam at the pistons is right about 770deg. F. ( Boiler Steam is about 385 deg, F., ahead of the superheater units...) Stoker screw is barely turning, brick arch is glowing deep red, peak flame temps are better than 3000 deg F. 80% of the coal burns in mid-air, about 150mph through the firebox.. Firebed is about an inch thick, carrying a nice heavy heel, across the back of the firebox, deep in the rear corners..... water pump is making slow, lazy strokes Man, that’s impressive! W. Date: 12/02/18 17:37 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: MPW PRR & B&LE both had 155# rail.
LarryDoyle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Look at the size of that rail! > > I believe only the PRR and the DM&IR used this 152 > lb. rail. At 8 inches tall it was fully an inch > taller than any other in conventional railroad > service (except streetcar raill was up to 9" tall > - not to support the weight, but due to paving > streets with Belgian blocks.) > > Also, note this railroad is left-hand running. > > -LD Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/18 17:40 by MPW. Date: 12/03/18 06:08 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: dpudave wcamp1472 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The fire, in both photos appears to be WHITE > HOT!!! > Thats a perfect ‘stack color’ —- that’s > what a properly ‘loaded’ engine & fire will > look like. > The superheat is right up there, too. I’d bet > the steam at the pistons is right about 770deg. > F. > ( Boiler Steam is about 385 deg, F., ahead of the > superheater units...) >Years and years ago I lived in a rooming house with a fireman working out of Duluth. He told me about coal "flying" through the firebox. I thought he was pulling my leg, a stupid kid. He also told me how many pounds of coal he shoveled during a typical day. I won't quote the number here, no one would believe me. He had arms like tree trunks, so I believed him. Hell of a guy. d > Stoker screw is barely turning, brick arch is > glowing deep red, peak flame temps are better > than 3000 deg F. > 80% of the coal burns in mid-air, about 150mph > through the firebox.. > Firebed is about an inch thick, carrying a nice > heavy heel, across the back of the firebox, deep > in the rear corners..... > water pump is making slow, lazy strokes > > Man, that’s impressive! > > W. Date: 12/03/18 15:24 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: Goalieman wcamp1472 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The fire, in both photos appears to be WHITE > HOT!!! > Thats a perfect ‘stack color’ —- that’s > what a properly ‘loaded’ engine & fire will > look like. > The superheat is right up there, too. I’d bet > the steam at the pistons is right about 770deg. > F. > ( Boiler Steam is about 385 deg, F., ahead of the > superheater units...) > > Stoker screw is barely turning, brick arch is > glowing deep red, peak flame temps are better > than 3000 deg F. > 80% of the coal burns in mid-air, about 150mph > through the firebox.. > Firebed is about an inch thick, carrying a nice > heavy heel, across the back of the firebox, deep > in the rear corners..... > water pump is making slow, lazy strokes > > Man, that’s impressive! > > W. Hey Mr. Camp - I’ve been a heat treater for 35 years and have always been fascinated by the fact that there is an extensive brick arch in a locomotive fire box. Knowing how vulnerable door jambs and arches are to a load of baskets being transferred into the heating chamber of an industrial furnace, I marvel that any of the brick in a locomotive fire box survives over the road. Is it hard or soft brick? I’m thinking that hard brick would survive better. Is it laid conventionally or with a lot of added support? As always, thanks in advance for your excellent answers. YOU DA MAN!! Posted from iPhone Date: 12/03/18 17:11 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 I’m mostly a coal-burner aficionado, Fire bricks are most commonly used to make the ‘brick arch’ in coal burners.
Firebrick, refractory bricks are commonly used on oil burner locos to form a ‘tub’ in the deep firepan of the combustion furnace. Many more bricks are used in the oil burners to build a rugged structure than, when heated to incandescence, materially replicate the coal fire’s firebed —- as a source of radiant heat contribution to stabilize the firebox temperatures. in coal burners, the brick arch is typically made up of 3” to 5” diameter arch-support tubes. The tubes typically run from the lower front, throat sheet. ( so called because of its similar shape to the human throat and chin appearance), curving upward and reward, ending high up on the rear ‘door sheet’. Typically the tubes are evenly spaced across the firebox, about 18” apart. Also, it is common that semi-circular “spacer bricks” are fitted at the lower end against the throat sheet. This give a free air path at the very front of the grates —- thus, burning the coal that might build-up under the arch. The bricks were sold as S sizes (‘ S’ as in side-bricks —- cast with concave recesses to rest on the arch pipes and the tops were curved, left to right, resting against the side sheets of the firebox. The were sized by S10, S12, S14, etc. —- as in 10” , 12”, S14”, The bricks resting on the two arch pipes are designated: M, as in Middle bricks. These had recesses for resting on the arch pipes. They would be longer...M18, M24, etc. On later engine, many were equipped with ‘Syphons’. Syphons were essentially funnels that were flat-sided, instead of circular. The Syphons had a large diameter lower pipe secured into the throat sheet, and the flared top was welded in between the rows of crown stays supporting the crown sheet from the heavier, firebox outer, wrapper sheets. Typically, Syphons were applied in pairs. The vendor sold varying shapes to support the customers’ wishes. Syphons were commonly subject to increased stresses and problems, with extended age and service. They were a greater source of maintenance repairs, repair delays and could be a source of headaches for Roundhouse workers. In service, the bricks become melted in the undersides and cracked and weakened. They are kept in place by gravity, unusable for longer than a month of service. Monthly ‘boiler washouts’ had the boilermakers breaking the old, used bricks onto the grates and into the ashpans. primarily to allow the boiler inspectors to rap each and every staybolt ( in the firebox), so tge bricks had to come down to,allow the hammer testing. The brittle bricks crumbled, as soon as they were touched. Over the road, If crews were too aggressive with the long ‘clinker-hooks’ used through the firedoors, the bricks could be broken.. If the long clinker hook went up into the fragile bricks, the large brick pieces might get caught when rocking the grates to dump the ashes. Typically, jamming the grates in a tilted position ( if crews attempted to continue firing with the grates stickin up into the firebed, the grates exposed edges would burn and melt away, all falling to the ashpan —- with large sections of the grate missing—- the cold air rushes in, killing the boiler pressure and stalling the loco—— a steam failure. Such road failures are avoidable, and must be prevented ... After a boiler wash on ex-Reading 2102, while at a Colonie, NY shops of the D&H RR, we were still able to purchase the side bricks, but the largest, Middle bricks that fitted between the two Syphons were an expensive, special-order item. We opted to make our own. We cut a wide piece of Masonite to fit under the long dimension of the bottom of the Syphons. The edges of the Masonite extended well beyond the bottoms of the Syphons. We jammed various lengths of 2X4 lumber under the center of the Masonite, bending it up between the Syphons, We then custom-cut fiber ‘brick dividers’ evenly spaced on top of the arched Masonite. We purchased 80-lb bags of refractory brick dry mix. We carefully added water, longer lasting bricks are mad with a very dry mix of the brick. It should be a very dry mix. When we completed the boiler work, we spread coal over the grates and lit the fresh firebed. The Masonite and wood form caught fire and burned up...leaving a beautiful, custom-poured row of center bricks. The fire was lit a bout a week ahead of the next scheduled excursion...plenty of time to cure the poured bricks in place —- acciuntnof the modest firebox temperatures. So, there are ways to repair, replace and reconstruct the brick arches.. W. (Not proofed, yet...) Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/18 17:14 by wcamp1472. Date: 12/03/18 17:19 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: LarryDoyle Illustrating Wes' comments to expand on this, are some drawings which may help him to explain and the reader to visualize .
Basicly there were three common arrangements of brickwork in locomotive fireboxes. 1. Wood burning engines and anthricite burners generally had no brickwork. 2. Bituminous burners had water tubes within the firebox (a variation of which was called a syphon) running thru the firespace from the lower front to the top rear of the firebox, which supported arch bricks. These are shown in the first drawing and the photo. These were specially cast bricks which retained heat as Wes describes, and which lengthened the firepath before combustion gasses entered tlues. 3. Oil burners seldom, if ever, have arch brick, but more significantly the floor of the firebox and the lower portions of the side sheets were covered with a brick wall, shown in the third illustration below Additionally, oil burners have a large heat retaining "flash block" of brick, several feet square, either immediately below the firedoor door or placed right in the middle of the floor of the firebox floor. -John Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/18 17:37 by LarryDoyle. Date: 12/04/18 09:39 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: highgreengraphics Soooo, with reference to 3985 and 4014, with oil conversion they have either had or are having their coal-burning firebrick arches removed in their fireboxes and sidewall firebrick and firebrick rearranged for oil burning? === === = === JLH
Date: 12/04/18 09:48 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: HotWater highgreengraphics Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Soooo, with reference to 3985 and 4014, with oil > conversion they have either had or are having > their coal-burning firebrick arches removed in > their fireboxes and sidewall firebrick and > firebrick rearranged for oil burning? === === = > === JLH Correct. Plus, a LOT more firebrick should be added when converting to oil fuel, in order to retain heat in the firebox. Unlike a coal burner, with its huge heat-sink of hot burning coals, there really is no "fire" in an oil burner,,,,,,,,only a flame, the size of which is directly dependent on the draft, which is controlled by how well the Engineer sets the throttle AND reverse gear. Thus, as load conditions vary, the more firebrick in the firebox of an oil burner, the slower the temperature change, and the better the firebox steel sheets & staybolts like it. Date: 12/04/18 14:34 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 Exam time Questiion:
For ‘non-experienced’ readers, first... What factor has the greatest power to determine the temperature of the brickwork used in loco fireboxes: wood burners (if equipped), oil and coal alike? Extra credit question: Similarity, what will determine the heat of the firebox & it’s brick work on 4014, when it becomes converted & operational? W. Date: 12/04/18 15:46 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: Goalieman wcamp1472 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > I’m mostly a coal-burner aficionado, Fire > bricks are most commonly used to make the ‘brick > arch’ in coal burners. > Firebrick, refractory bricks are commonly used on > oil burner locos to form a ‘tub’ in the deep > firepan of the combustion furnace. > Many more bricks are used in the oil burners to > build a rugged structure than, when heated to > incandescence, materially replicate the coal > fire’s firebed —- as a source of radiant heat > contribution to stabilize the firebox > temperatures. > > in coal burners, the brick arch is typically made > up of 3” to 5” diameter arch-support tubes. > The tubes typically run from the lower front, > throat sheet. ( so called because of its similar > shape to the human throat and chin appearance), > curving upward and reward, ending high up on the > rear ‘door sheet’. > > Typically the tubes are evenly spaced across the > firebox, about 18” apart. Also, it is common > that semi-circular “spacer bricks” are fitted > at the lower end against the throat sheet. This > give a free air path at the very front of the > grates —- thus, burning the coal that might > build-up under the arch. > > The bricks were sold as S sizes (‘ S’ as in > side-bricks —- cast with concave recesses to > rest on the arch pipes and the tops were curved, > left to right, resting against the side sheets of > the firebox. The were sized by S10, S12, S14, > etc. —- as in 10” , 12”, S14”, > The bricks resting on the two arch pipes are > designated: M, as in Middle bricks. These had > recesses for resting on the arch pipes. > They would be longer...M18, M24, etc. > > On later engine, many were equipped with > ‘Syphons’. Syphons were essentially funnels > that were flat-sided, instead of circular. > The Syphons had a large diameter lower pipe > secured into the throat sheet, and the flared top > was welded in between the rows of crown stays > supporting the crown sheet from the heavier, > firebox outer, wrapper sheets. Typically, Syphons > were applied in pairs. > The vendor sold varying shapes to support the > customers’ wishes. > > Syphons were commonly subject to increased > stresses and problems, with extended age and > service. They were a greater source of > maintenance repairs, repair delays and could be > a source of headaches for Roundhouse workers. > > In service, the bricks become melted in the > undersides and cracked and weakened. They are > kept in place by gravity, unusable for longer than > a month of service. Monthly ‘boiler > washouts’ had the boilermakers breaking the old, > used bricks onto the grates and into the ashpans. > primarily to allow the boiler inspectors to rap > each and every staybolt ( in the firebox), so tge > bricks had to come down to,allow the hammer > testing. > > The brittle bricks crumbled, as soon as they were > touched. Over the road, If crews were too > aggressive with the long ‘clinker-hooks’ used > through the firedoors, the bricks could be > broken.. If the long clinker hook went up into > the fragile bricks, the large brick pieces might > get caught when rocking the grates to dump the > ashes. Typically, jamming the grates in a > tilted position ( if crews attempted to continue > firing with the grates stickin up into the > firebed, the grates exposed edges would burn and > melt away, all falling to the ashpan —- with > large sections of the grate missing—- the cold > air rushes in, killing the boiler pressure and > stalling the loco—— a steam failure. > Such road failures are avoidable, and must be > prevented ... > > After a boiler wash on ex-Reading 2102, while at a > Colonie, NY shops of the D&H RR, we were still > able to purchase the side bricks, but the largest, > Middle bricks that fitted between the two > Syphons were an expensive, special-order item. > > We opted to make our own. We cut a wide piece of > Masonite to fit under the long dimension of the > bottom of the Syphons. > The edges of the Masonite extended well beyond the > bottoms of the Syphons. We jammed various lengths > of 2X4 lumber under the center of the Masonite, > bending it up between the Syphons, > > We then custom-cut fiber ‘brick dividers’ > evenly spaced on top of the arched Masonite. We > purchased 80-lb bags of refractory brick dry mix. > We carefully added water, longer lasting bricks > are mad with a very dry mix of the brick. It > should be a very > dry mix. When we completed the boiler work, we > spread coal over the grates and lit the fresh > firebed. The Masonite and wood form caught fire > and burned up...leaving a beautiful, custom-poured > row of center bricks. The fire was lit a bout a > week ahead of the next scheduled > excursion...plenty of time to cure the poured > bricks in place —- acciuntnof the modest firebox > temperatures. > > So, there are ways to repair, replace and > reconstruct the brick arches.. > > W. > > > (Not proofed, yet...) > > Once again I’ve learned a metric ton due to your willingness to share what you know. I appreciate the time you take to thoroughly explain all of the details. That’s a great story about manufacturing your own syphons for #2102!! We’ve done similar things at the shop when the “off the shelf” items had lead times that would have left us down too long. Sometimes desperation truly is the mother on invention. Thanks again!! Mark V. Fort Wayne, IN Posted from iPhone Date: 12/04/18 15:54 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: Goalieman LarryDoyle Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Illustrating Wes' comments to expand on this, are > some drawings which may help him to explain and > the reader to visualize . > > Basicly there were three common arrangements of > brickwork in locomotive fireboxes. > > 1. Wood burning engines and anthricite burners > generally had no brickwork. > > 2. Bituminous burners had water tubes within the > firebox (a variation of which was called a syphon) > running thru the firespace from the lower front to > the top rear of the firebox, which supported arch > bricks. These are shown in the first drawing and > the photo. These were specially cast bricks > which retained heat as Wes describes, and which > lengthened the firepath before combustion gasses > entered tlues. > > 3. Oil burners seldom, if ever, have arch brick, > but more significantly the floor of the firebox > and the lower portions of the side sheets were > covered with a brick wall, shown in the third > illustration below Additionally, oil burners > have a large heat retaining "flash block" of > brick, several feet square, either immediately > below the firedoor door or placed right in the > middle of the floor of the firebox floor. > > -John John: How did you know that my next question was going to be about the ability of an oil burner to maintain even heat in its firebox with essentially just a blow torch as a heat source?? Thanks so much for the illustrations and information on all of the firebox designs and especially the info on the heavy, fire brick foundation basically replicating the burning coal bed for an oil burner. Now it makes sense. Mark V Fort Wayne,IN Posted from iPhone Date: 12/04/18 16:27 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 Mark V...
Clarification: “making Syphons for 2102...”, from above... We simply cast the arch bricks that rest on the Syphons, we did NOT make the Syphons, (not the firebox-steel fabricated Syphons) . In case there might might be confusion on the the part of our readers.. Wes C. Date: 12/04/18 17:35 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 Mark’s 2nd comment. The “blow torch ...of oil burners”
Mark, you’re right, the blow torch effect is aiways there.... However, it takes a strong draft to get a hot enough flame, or fire, to heat up the brick tub —- that’s only possible with a heavy train behind the tender. The associated white-hot fire is what gets the bricks heated up, not simply pouring-on more oil. The propensity of oil burners to emit clouds of dense, black smoke is directly related to the “cold bricks” syndrome. I’m reminded of the related photo of a densely smoking ( drifting) Cab Forward, desparately trying get a fire hot-enough to raise the boiler pressure —— necessary for snappy air compressor action and rapid strokes. The fireman is adding more fuel, in a vain attempt to replicate replicate a decent draft . Further, I’m assuming the picture was snapped near the bottom of a long, down-hill trek , under zero-draft conditions... More ‘cold oil’ ( through the burner) only releases immense amounts of free carbon.....when what’s needed is HOT flame temps and a decent draft...in order the get the brick-work glowing hot. The weight of the trailing load is what determines the heat in the firebox, not the amount of raw, cold fuel thrown in there. Remember that the fuel absorbs tremdous heat just to raise it to combustion temperature—- regardless of whether its oil or coal. Low draft through the firebox is no help to raising combustion temps. The issue of ‘sanding the flues’ ( in oil burners) is a related issue. To be effective, the introduction of a stream of sand through the flues can only be accomplished on up-grades, where a strong draft can propel the sand to scour the flues, tubes and outside surfaces of the superheater units. All that black smoke consists of long, sticky carbon-strings in the smoke —— coating the exposed metal surfaces with a thickening layer of insulating soot. That growing deposits of thick gunk on the tubes and flues is a VERY EFFECTIVE heat insulator. RRs adopted the practice of sanding the flues, using sand to do the scouring of the internal heat transfer surfaces. Also, the growing gunk on the tube interiors tends to close-off the free air-pathways through the flues and boiler heat transfer surfaces. Coal burners have the scrubbing action of cinders to do that scouring , continuously cleaning the surfaces. Remember, in oil burners, the steeper the climb, the better it is for the sanding process. Very soon, you’ve got nice clean metal surfaces for effective heat transfer from the convection heat-streams through the fkuesand tubes. Thanks for following the twists and turns of the complicated concepts of good loco firing. It is the knowledgeable communications of, and between, the engineer and fire-person, combined with the intimate knowledge of physical characteristics of the track, the terrain and the track profile, stops, hills, etc., that determines the success of the trips. Look again at the two pictures at the top of the thread —— that’s what 3000 degrees in the firebox looks like...that’s what’s generating your superheated steam.. Firing like that is the ideal stack color you want to maintain...the terrific wind through the grates keeps the coal firebed from getting deeper...it’s burning nice and thin... Wes C. not proofed yet.. Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/18 01:45 by wcamp1472. Date: 12/05/18 14:31 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: wcamp1472 Exam time Questiion:
For ‘non-experienced’ readers, first... What factor has the greatest power to determine the temperature of the brickwork used in loco fireboxes: wood burners (if equipped), oil and coal alike? Extra credit question: Similarity, what will determine the heat of the firebox & it’s brick work on 4014, when it becomes converted & operational? W. Date: 12/05/18 16:06 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: Goalieman wcamp1472 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Exam time Questiion: > For ‘non-experienced’ readers, first... > > What factor has the greatest power to determine > the temperature of the brickwork used in loco > fireboxes: wood burners (if equipped), oil and > coal alike? > > Extra credit question: > Similarity, what will determine the heat of the > firebox & it’s brick work on 4014, when it > becomes converted & operational? > > W. Load = Draft. Draft = The ability to burn fuel at a temperature sufficient to heat brick work and thus generate adequate steam. Therefore the factor that has the greatest power to determine the temperature of brick work is - Load. Extra Credit - The weight of the train or the ability to simulate a heavier train through diesel assisted, dynamic braking will determine the heat of the firebox and brick work within UP 4014. So again, the load is the most powerful factor. A large challenge indeed! Thanks again Mr. Camp!! I love learning from those who’ve “been there, done that”. Mark V. The Fort, IN. Posted from iPhone Date: 12/05/18 17:14 Re: BB: DMI&IR Yellowstone showing it's power - 1958 Author: Txhighballer Goalieman Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > wcamp1472 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Exam time Questiion: > > For ‘non-experienced’ readers, first... > > > > What factor has the greatest power to determine > > the temperature of the brickwork used in loco > > fireboxes: wood burners (if equipped), oil > and > > coal alike? > > > > Extra credit question: > > Similarity, what will determine the heat of the > > firebox & it’s brick work on 4014, when it > > becomes converted & operational? > > > > W. > > Load = Draft. Draft = The ability to burn fuel at > a temperature sufficient to heat brick work and > thus generate adequate steam. Therefore the factor > that has the greatest power to determine the > temperature of brick work is - Load. > > Extra Credit - The weight of the train or the > ability to simulate a heavier train through diesel > assisted, dynamic braking will determine the heat > of the firebox and brick work within UP 4014. So > again, the load is the most powerful factor. A > large challenge indeed! > > Thanks again Mr. Camp!! I love learning from > those who’ve “been there, done that”. > > Mark V. > The Fort, IN. > > Posted from iPhone I'm afraid the 4014 will be a draft horse doing pony work... |