Steam & Excursion > Were trackside oil tanks heated?

Some must have had heaters, but did they all?
How well would oil flow on a cool day?

If a tank was heated, does that mean steam pipes
in the oil? So any heated oil tank needed a boiler?
Meaning an attendant?

How about the tank cars that delivered to the tank?
Were they insulated and loaded with hot oil? If not,
how easy to get the oil out of them?

timz Wrote:
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> Some must have had heaters, but did they all?
Well, there may some exceptions, somewhere, but if so, very rare.  Almost everyone burned "Bunker C" grade oil, which must be heated to 130 degrees to flow, even in warm weather.  Almost like tar.

> How well would oil flow on a cool day?
It wouldn't.  Not even on a hot day.
>
> If a tank was heated, does that mean steam pipes
> in the oil? So any heated oil tank needed a
> boiler?
Yes.  Someone would have to look after it.

Same for locomotive tenders - they had a steam coil in the tender tank, as well. And some roads enclosed the delivery pipe from the tender to the burner with a "line heater" as shown below for a Milwaukee engine..

> Meaning an attendant?
>
> How about the tank cars that delivered to the
> tank? 
> Were they insulated and loaded with hot oil? If
> not,
> how easy to get the oil out of them?
Uninsulated, and also equipped with steam coils.

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I think there is also a steam line to blow the burner and line out.  At least 1522 had one.  Blow back into the tender and blow the burner clean.  Was always interesting blowing out the burner.

1522, wouldn't that would be valve 4?

-LD

timz Wrote:
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> If a tank was heated, does that mean steam pipes
> in the oil? So any heated oil tank needed a
> boiler?
> Meaning an attendant?


Most water facilities would also require heating to keep water flowing in winter, unless natural springs or a dammed stream was available.

LD