Part 4

A. Water in the oil will produce popping or kicking with the fire in the fire-box and at times the fire will die down entirely and then flash up as the water disappears and the oil reaches the burner. The most noticeable result of water in the oil is the fact that the fire will get very low. It will almost go out entirely and then will suddenly flash up again as the oil appears. Water in the oil produces a very dangerous condition and should be prevented immediately by draining the water from the fuel oil tank.

34. Q. Do you consider it advisable to keep the burners clean, and how often?

A. When equipped with steam blow-out pipes, they should be blown out before commencing trip so that burners will distribute oil evenly to each side of fire-box.

35. Q. What position should burner be with reference to level and in line with center of fire-box?

A. It is very essential that burners be level and throw flames just to clear floor of arch in order to derive full benefit of heating surface, as the draft has a great tendency to elevate flames, at opposite end of the fire-box.

36. Q. Are you aware that in course of time the atomizer port will become worn too large and will discharge too large a volume of steam to properly atomize, and the remedy?

A. Yes; the lip or bushing should be closed to proper opening so that steam will be restricted at the nozzle and escape with a bursting effect to properly atomize the oil instead of flowing out in quantities against flash walls before it has time to ignite.

37. Q. What is the real object of having the fire-box lined with bricks, and will engine steam without them?

A. Not so well as with the brick, the sheets being in contact with water are too cool to flash the oil readily and hence the use of what is called a "flash wall" built of fire brick and heated to a very high temperature aids combustion very materially.

38. Q. Do you consider it your duty to keep close inspection of brick work as to need of repairs, such as air entering between brick and side sheets?

A. Yes. To see that plaster is kept between the walls and sheets to keep cold air from being drawn in.

39. Q. Will engine steam if brick falls in front of burners or in path of flame and what may be done?

A. No. Remove them with the brick hook or rod by pulling them out through damper of draft pan.

40. Q. Where engine is equipped with an oil-reheater or oil line, do you consider it a help to engine's steaming qualities when used?

A. Yes; at all times this heater should be used.

41. Q. Why use second heater? Why not heat it to a high temperature in oil tank with oil heater?

A. Too much gas generating and boiling the oil continually destroys the higher qualities besides being hard to control the flow through regulation valve.

42. Q. Do you consider a vent hole in oil tank advisable, and why?

A. Yes; to allow any accumulation of gas to escape and to admit the air so that oil will flow freely.

43. Q. Do you inspect your oil pipes and report all leaks? What other bad effect has a pipe leak aside from waste of oil?

A. Yes. It will cause oil to feed irregularly.

44. Q. Are you aware that keeping the flues clean is the greatest one thing that you can do in regard to fuel economy, and how often should they be cleaned?

A. Yes. At least every ten miles.

45. Q. Do you know that the engine should be working hard and at a speed not less than twenty miles per hour when sanding flues to avoid the sand falling to floor of the fire-box and accumulating in front of them?

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-cock 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 passages, one for steam passing from boiler to heater pipes in tank and another passage 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 passed directly through the oil feed pipe to the fuel supply.

54. Q. In the event of an objectionable quantity 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?

A. He should make a complete inspection of the locomotive, observing all important nuts and bolts, look for any signs of hot bearings on previous trip, see that the engine is equipped with necessary tools and supplies, test both of the injectors and the air brake equipment to be sure they are in good working order, see that headlight and signal lamps are in place and ready for service, observe water conditions in boiler, inspect the interior of the fire-box and see that the locomotive is properly lubricated.

2. Q. What tools should there be on the locomotive?

A. Such as are necessary to properly operate the locomotive, care for the machinery, disconnect and block up in case of breakdown and the necessary firing tools.

3. Q. What examination should be made after any repair work has been done on valve, brasses, etc.?

A. See that brasses are properly fitted, keys fastened and nuts made tight. If any repairs have been made on valves or valve gear, would see that the reverse lever could be moved freely and that all movable parts had been properly replaced; would also give especial attention with reference to lubrication of these parts.

4. Q. What attention should be given to boiler attachments, such as gauge cocks, water glasses, etc.?

A. Would see that the gauge cocks can be opened to try the water and closed, so steam and water would not come out into cab. Observe the water glass and note if water is moving up and down in the glass, see that the steam valve at the top and water valve at bottom of glass could be opened and closed, and allow water and steam to circulate freely through the glass.

5. Q. What do you consider necessary to report on locomotive boilers?

A. Should report all defects on boiler and its attachments while engine is in engineer's charge.

6. Q. Trace the steam from the boiler through the cylinders to the atmosphere and explain how it transmits power.

A. Steam enters the throttle valve located in the highest part of the dome in order to get the driest steam, then passes through the standpipe and dry pipe out of the boiler to the steam pipe tee or nigger-head located in the front end, then through steam pipes to the steam chest. A steam valve in each steam chest distributes the steam so that it enters the cylinders at or just before the beginning of the stroke; pushing the piston to the end of its stroke; just before the piston reaches the end of the cylinder, the steam valve opens communication to the exhaust port through a cavity in its exhaust side, then through the exhaust pipes and tips up through the draft or petticoat pipe and stack to the atmosphere. When steam pushes the piston through the cylinder, its power is transmitted by the main rod to the main crank pin which causes the wheels to revolve, thus moving the engine and its train.

7. Q. Why is it important that there be no holes through the smoke-box door or front end and none in smoke-box seams or joints?

A. So as to maintain as good a vacuum as possible in the smoke-box and prevent small amounts of air coming in through leaks which tend to heat and warp the smoke-box and its door.

8. Q. How should the locomotive be started to avoid jerks, and what train and other signals should be looked out for at the time of starting?

A. Place the reverse lever in full gear, open the throttle valve gradually so as to start the train one car at a time and easily. Look for signals ahead to show that the track is clear and switch is in correct position, then look for signals from the rear end that the train is all coming.

9. Q. Will an engine equipped with superheat units move as quickly as a saturated steam locomotive when throttle valve is first opened?

A. No.

10. Q. Why?

A. Because steam must first pass through superheat units before it enters the steam pipes leading to steam chest.

11. Q. In placing engine on the turntable, at water or stand pipes, or at other similar places, what must be done?

A. Close throttle valve sooner so that the steam confined in superheat units, pipes and steam chests, will have passed out to the atmosphere.

12. Q. After a locomotive has been started, how can it be run most economically?

A. By regulating the supply of steam to the steam chest with the throttle and the point of cut-off with the reverse lever; so that no more steam be used than necessary to maintain the proper speed, whenever possible working the engine at short cut-off so as to use steam expansively.

13. Q. What is meant by working steam expansively?

A. Hooking the reverse lever up toward the center gives the valve a shorter travel and closes the live steam port when the piston has made only a part of its stroke. This cuts off the supply of live steam coming from the steam chest. The expansion of the steam already in the cylinder pushes the piston to the end of its stroke without the use of a full cylinder of live steam.

14. Q. How rapidly should water be supplied to the boiler?

A. No faster than it is evaporated into steam, unless just before a hard pull; or when shutting off with a heavy bright fire in the fire-box to prevent waste of steam at the pops.

15. Q. What is the difference between priming and foaming of a locomotive boiler?

A. Priming is caused by carrying the water too high in the boiler so that when the throttle valve is opened some of it passes over with the steam in the form of a spray. Foaming is caused by the water becoming dirty from animal or alkaline matter, so that heat makes it foam like soap suds. Muddy water or certain vegetable matters will also make a boiler foam.

16. Q. What should you do in a case of foaming? What in a case of priming?

A. In a case of foaming, if possible, allow the boiler to cool off a little, increase the supply of feed water to prevent water getting too low, and whenever possible blow some of the dirty water out of the boiler, replacing it with clean water. In case of priming, shut off the supply of feed water until the water level drops to the proper height in the boiler.

17. Q. What danger is there when the water foams badly? When it primes badly?

A. There is danger of knocking out cylinder heads, cutting the valves, stalling on some grade or getting on some train's time because the engine cannot be worked to its proper power. When shutting off steam, the water is liable to drop below the crown sheet and thus risk burning the fire-box. When water primes badly, it is liable to break cylinder packing rings, knock out cylinder heads, break bolts in the steam chest and cut the valves. In such a case additional oil should be fed to the steam chest until the valves are properly lubricated.

18. Q. Suppose that with the water glass in good working order, immediately after closing the throttle the water disappeared from the water glass, what should be done?

A. Would open the throttle and endeavor to raise water until both injectors would put enough water into the boiler to make it entirely safe to close the throttle. If unable to raise the water level to the lower gauge cock would smother the fire or put it out entirely, if necessary, keeping both injectors working.

19. Q. What work about a locomotive should be done by the engineman?

A. Inspection of the engine both before and after the trip. The engineer should do any necessary work on the engine after starting out on the trip to avoid breakdowns and insure getting over the road promptly. This means tightening up any important bolts that work loose on the trip and keeping parts from working out of position, adjusting wedges and rod keys.

20. Q. How should the work of setting up the wedges be done?

A. Place the engine on the upper quarter on the side with the loose wedge. Do not set the brake if brake shoe will push the driving box against the defective wedge, but block engine truck wheels so the engine cannot move, push the boxes against the shoe or dead wedge with a little steam, set the wedge up until it is a snug fit, then pull it down about one-sixteenth of an inch and fasten. Provision should be made for expansion of the box when it gets warm.

21. Q. How should rod brasses be keyed?

A. If properly fitted they should be keyed brass to brass; if not so fitted, they should be keyed on the large part of the pin so they will be free enough to run without heating and snug enough to run without pounding. Do not key them so tight at either end as to prevent the lateral motion of the brass on the pins.

22. Q. How should an engine be placed for the purpose of keying the rod brasses?

A. For the main rod, place the engine on the quarter or the top forward eighth, whichever place gives the largest diameter of the pin to key the brass against. After keying up, test by moving the wheel to another position and see if brasses are free on the pin. For the side or parallel rods, always place the engine on the center for the side that is to be keyed.

23. Q. How should the side rods on a mogul or consolidation locomotive be keyed?

A. Place the engine on the center on that side, key up the brass on the main pin first, work each way toward the ends of the rods, being careful to keep them the proper length so they do not bind when passing either center. Be sure that wedges are properly set up before keying the side rods.

24. Q. What is the necessity for keeping the brasses keyed up properly?

A. If too tight, they will surely run hot; if too loose, they will pound and injure the brasses as well as endanger the safety of the straps and rod bolts. Very loose brasses can pound enough to get hot.

25. Q. What is meant by an engine out of tram? Out of quarter?

A. When corresponding wheels on opposite sides of the engine on different axes are not spaced equally apart; where the axle of any wheel is not at a right angle to the center line from front to rear of engine, so they do not run square on the rails, or where the space between the axle centers on opposite sides is not equal. This is sometimes indicated by unequal flange wear and should be reported at once. Wheels are out of quarter when the crank pin in one wheel is not exactly 90 degrees or one quarter of a turn from the pin in the wheels on the other end of the same axle. This is usually caused by slipping the engine with sand on one rail only and the condition of engine should be reported at once.

26. Q. Describe a piston valve.

A. A piston valve is a cylindrical spool-shaped valve constructed with packing rings much the same as the steam piston that moves through the cylinder, except that a piston valve is double or composed of two pistons connected by center rod or spool working in a bushing of equal diameter. Steam and exhaust ports are cut through this bushing; steam ports to the cylinder and exhaust port to the exhaust pipe. There is also a steam port for live steam from the boiler. As the pressure on this valve is equal in both directions it is practically balanced.

27. Q. What is a balanced slide valve? How is it balanced, and why? For what purpose is the hole drilled through the top of the valve?

A. One in which the steam pressure on the top and bottom of the valve is nearly equalized. This is done by protecting a portion of the top of the valve from the steam pressure. It is usually balanced by strips held against the pressure or balance plate by one or more springs. This is done to prevent live steam from getting on top of valve and thus relieve the valve from the top pressure which would cause excessive friction between the bottom of the valve and its seat. The hole through the top is to allow any steam which might leak by the strips to pass into the exhaust, so pressure could not accumulate on the top of the valve, also to equalize the exhaust pressure between the top of the valve and exhaust cavity as well as to assist in lubricating the balance plate.

28. Q. What is meant by inside and outside admission valves?

A. With an inside admission valve (usually a piston valve), the live steam comes between the piston valve heads, the outside end of the heads being connected with and exposed to exhaust pressure, it admits steam past the inside edges of the valves. An outside admission valve has the space between the ends connected to the exhaust and a space at the ends connected with the live steam. It admits steam past its outside edges. A piston valve can be either inside or outside admission, while a slide valve is always outside admission.

29. Q. What is the relative motion of the main piston and the steam valves for inside admission, and, on the other hand, for outside admission?

A. If the piston is in the front end of the cylinder, an inside admission valve must move forward in order to connect the inside of the valve with the front live steam port to admit steam against the piston. The outside end of the valve opens the exhaust port for the back end of the cylinder. In the same position of the piston an outside admission valve must move backwards to open the steam port or in the same direction as the steam piston when commencing its stroke.

30. Q. What is an Allen ported valve, and what is its object?

A. An Allen ported valve is an outside admission slide valve having an extra port from one end of the valve to the other, above the exhaust cavity and through the body of the valve. This extra port is calculated to admit steam through the valve at the same time that steam passes by the end of the valve into the same steam port, thus doubling the area of opening for live steam when the port is first opened.

31. Q. What is the difference in the valve motion for outside admission valves and for inside admission valves?

A. An outside admission valve must be moved in the opposite direction to an inside admission valve in relation to the movement of the steam piston when beginning its stroke; therefore either the position of the eccentric or the position of the rocker arms in relation to the rocker shaft must be opposite for a change in these valves.

32. Q. What is a direct motion valve gear? What is an indirect motion valve gear?