Steam & Excursion > Don't get that steamer dirty ...

Bruce Black photo Niagara Falls ON 4/2/58

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Is anyone besides me shocked that a huge wooden coal trestle like that survived all the way to 1958?  I would've thought it would replaced by either a concrete coal tower or a clamshell crane by then.

pennsy3750 Wrote:
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> Is anyone besides me shocked that a huge wooden
> coal trestle like that survived all the way to
> 1958?  I would've thought it would replaced by
> either a concrete coal tower or a clamshell crane
> by then.


If it still does the job then why spend capitol funds to replace something that will be retired within 10 years?

I could be wrong, but I believe that coal docks were useful if more than one grade of coal was being dispensed.

Great image.

Anybody know how much longer coal and / or steam was being used on this part of the CN?

tia.

Different grades of coal, and cheaper costs/ton were main purpose of
those long 'coal docks'.

On NYC, a Harmon NY.,  the Central used lower heat value coal and much finer 
particles, fewer recognizable lumps of coal.  Generally stronger drafts and heavier 
trains could burn anything and make steam ---- was common for ash build-up on 
the old style 'rose-bud' grates.

Rose-bud grates were a hold-over from hand-fired days.... the flat grate sections 
had small holes ( size of a rose-bud)  over the surface --- about 20% of the area.
Fires were smaller grate area and firebeds were relatively 'thick' --- hand firing 
allowed sit-down time for firemen. 

It was a practice at Harmon, for a freight-fireman to 'bribe' the hostler crews to fill 
a freight-engine's tender 80%, with the 'passenger' coal.... but, hide it under 
layer of 'freight' coal....  

Harmon was a busy hub, and control towers were easy places to observe
passing engines ---- Trainmasters could spot a freight engine if it was carrying
'passenger coal' .....
The top layer of the 'dirt' , hid the good-stuff from sight !

As high power steamers came about -- after about 1925--- designers found that 
lower impact drafting was possible & introduced more oxygen to the chemistry...
Duh .... they figured-out that it takes more oxygen, by weight,  than carbon to make
the most complete combustion... and the highest firebox & superheater temperatures.

Further, they developed individual 'finger-grates';  these use rows of cast iron,
rocking, "fingers" on each grate bar --- about 15 or so on each bar.  They rattled and shook 
as the loco went down the tracks....sifting the cold ashes into the ashpan, below.

Later steamers, following the development of the 2-8-4, found that the shaking grate fingers
and high wind velocity carried most of the  finer ash particles out the stack..
Ash buil-up was at a much slower rate, if you had a heavy train.  

You could go at full-bore speeds  across a Division, turn the engine-in at the 'pit' .  
and only have a wheel-barrow full of ashes in the ash pan.  All thanks to the finger grates.

Curiously, N&W J, #611 still uses the old, rose-bud grates --- makes her an engine 
that makes black smoke, very easily.  That'd be the first thing I'd remedy, if I 
was a decision maker on the 611.    But, in today's world, the effort would be
better spent on modifying the 611's firebox to burn oil.

If they lift the boiler off the frame of C&O 614, at the up-coming overhaul 
of 614 at Strasburg, that would make applying an oil-burner application 
much easier.  The design of the fire-pan, burner and refractory bricks is crucial
to designing a heat-successful oil-burner conversion.  Again, the secret is the 
best design for getting the most oxygen to mix with the fuel. 

Remember that oxygen is only about 21% of our air, by volume.
Getting that carbon/ oxygen mix 'correct', is the real challenge.
The burner and fire-pan replace the old ash pan and grates . 

Exciting times could be ahead.

Thank you, Ross for saving 614, the last of the Great Builder's wonderful craft!

​W.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/24 12:58 by wcamp1472.

Holy Cow, es!  Another grest chapter from you "book of Steam". I would not know anything about the finer points of steram operation if it was not for you to taake time to share!

Regular service steam in Southern Ontario ended in May, 1959, A few 4-8-4's were called up in June and July. 1959. The coal dock seen here at Niagara Falls, Ontario was dismantled in July, 1960.

Thanks for sharing the photo of a very nice looking locomotive.   As a kid I remember the #6060 on display in Jasper , Alberta.  My dad at some point in the 60s, bought a model of one that I still have today.  I'd better dig it out of the closet, and enjoy it.

Craig Hanson
Vay, Idaho

What a beauty!
Bob