Part 8

22. Q. If the horizontal arm of bell crank should break?

A. Same as broken eccentric rod.

23. Q. What is to be done should the vertical arm or bell crank break?

A. Take down union link combination lever and valve rod, then block valve over ports by using set-screw in valve stem cross-head provided for that purpose.

24. Q. Should you break cross-head arm or union link, what would you do?

A. If rod be provided to secure lower end of the combination lever to guide yoke, remove broken parts and proceed with full train, working engine at long cut-off. Otherwise would remove broken parts, combination lever and valve rod, cover ports, and proceed on one side.

25. Q. What do you do if a union link should break?

A. Same as for a broken cross-head arm.

26. Q. What is to be done if a combination lever should break?

A. Tie combination lever plumb, same as for a broken cross-head arm, if it is possible. If not possible, take down the combination lever and valve rod and cover the ports.

27. Q. What is to be done if a valve rod breaks?

A. Take down the broken parts and cover ports, leaving the rest of the gear intact.

28. Q. What is to be done if a reverse yoke breaks?

A. If lugs for holding reach rod breaks, block yoke securely at whatever cut-off you wish to work the engine and take down the short reach rod. If break is below the lugs, do the same as for broken eccentric rod.

29. Q. What do you do if reach rod should break?

A. If short reach rod breaks, block the yoke at cut-off desired and wire fast so it cannot move. If main reach rod breaks, block between tumbling shaft arm and cross-tie brace, wiring same securely.

30. Q. What is to be done if the engine breaks down other than valve gear?

A. In this case do the same as for any other valve.

=SOUTHERN VALVE GEAR=

1. Q. If the eccentric crank or eccentric rods fail?

A. Disconnect the eccentric rod from crank, radius hanger and transmission yoke, tie up the hanger and yoke, clamp valve central position and proceed.

2. Q. If radius hanger fails?

A. Disconnect the hanger from rod and take down eccentric rod, clamp valve in central position and proceed.

3. Q. If transmission yoke fails?

A. Disconnect from the eccentric rod and clamp valve in central position and proceed.

4. Q. If horizontal arm of bell crank fails?

A. Disconnect the yoke from the eccentric rod, tie up to clear, clamp valve in central position and proceed.

5. Q. If vertical arm to bell crank breaks?

A. Clamp valve in central position and proceed. Take the broken arm down if necessary.

6. Q. If one auxiliary reach rod or reverse shaft arm fail?

A. Block both link blocks in same position of links, and in such a position as to give port opening enough to start train and control speed by throttle.

7. Q. If main reach rod, or middle arm to reverse shaft fail? If both auxiliary reach rods fail?

A. Block link blocks in full valve travel, controlling power and speed with the throttle.

=LUBRICATION=

1. Q. What produces friction, and what is the result of excessive friction?

A. Friction as considered in locomotive service is produced by one body being rubbed across the surface of another when they are held in contact by pressure, and the result of excessive friction is heat more or less intense and the destruction of the journal and its bearing or the roughening of the sliding surfaces.

2. Q. What is lubrication and its object?

A. The object of lubrication is to interpose a film of oil, grease or some lubricant between the two surfaces that will prevent these rubbing surfaces from coming into too intimate contact.

3. Q. What examinations should be made by the engineer to insure successful lubrication?

A. See that all oil holes are open, cups filled and in good working order, the packing in cellars evenly put in and in contact with the journal. That waste on top of driving or truck boxes is in proper shape, also that grease cups are filled, and the plugs and jam nuts in good shape, and that the grease cellars contain sufficient grease for the next trip.

4. Q. How should feeders of all oil cups be adjusted?

A. To feed as small a quantity of oil as possible and regularly to give perfect lubrication.

5. Q. Why is it bad practice to keep engine oil close to boiler in warm weather?

A. The oil is thinned to such a degree by the heat of the boiler that it runs off as soon as applied, and very often a hot bearing is the result.

6. Q. In what manner would you care for a hot bearing if discovered on the road?

A. Use as much time as available in cooling the same, making sure that all moving parts are free and carefully lubricated before proceeding.

7. Q. What kind of oil should be used on hot bearings?

A. Use engine oil unless the temperature of bearing consumes it, when a small quantity of valve oil may be used while the bearing is warm enough to make this oil flow. The valve oil must be removed as soon as the bearing cools to prevent reheating.

8. Q. At completion of trip what is necessary?

A. Close all adjustable feeds and examine all lubricated parts by contact with the hand to determine that they are not above running temperature.

9. Q. How would you determine what boxes to report examined? Why not report all boxes examined?

A. By placing the hand on driving box, on hub of engine truck wheel and on top of tender truck boxes nearest the brass, and would not report them examined unless the temperature of same was above running heat. It is not necessary to report all boxes examined, because they do not all give trouble at the same time. If this report was made, it would appear that a proper inspection had not been made and would result in unnecessary work and waste of material.

10. Q. Why is it bad practice to disturb the packing on top of driving and engine truck boxes with spout of oil can when oiling engine?

A. This packing is put on top of boxes to assist in keeping dirt and dust out of oil holes, also to aid in gradual lubrication from the top. If this packing is disturbed it will permit dirt and grit to work into oil holes and on the bearings as well as feed the oil away too rapidly.

11. Q. How do you adjust grease cups as applied to rods?

A. Screw down plug until you feel a slight resistance from the grease, stop when grease shows between brass and pin; this should be sufficient over the division.

12. Q. Is it usual for pins to run warm when using grease?

A. Yes; grease does not work properly until it gets warm enough to flow readily over the bearing.

13. Q. What effect does too much pressure produce?

A. Wastes grease and increases the friction until the surplus amount is worked out so the bearing runs free on its journal.

14. Q. Is it necessary to use oil with grease on crank pins?

A. No.

15. Q. When an engine is equipped with Elvin driving box lubricator, how can you tell whether a sufficient amount of lubricant is in the grease receptacle?

A. The indicator wire fastened to the bottom of the grease cellar indicates the amount of grease left in the cellar.

16. Q. Why should engine oil not be used on valves and cylinders?

A. Engine oil loses its lubricating qualities before it gets up to the temperature of the valves and cylinders when they are working steam.

17. Q. At what temperature does engine oil lose its lubricating qualities? At what temperature for valve oil?

A. Engine oil begins to separate and give off gas at 345 degrees F. The temperature of steam at 120 pounds is 350 degrees F., while valve oil has a flash test of 520 degrees F. The temperature of steam at 235 pounds is 431 degrees F., much lower than the flash test of valve oil.

18. Q. How and by what means are valves, cylinders and the steam end of air pumps lubricated?

A. By a sight-feed hydrostatic lubricator.

19. Q. What is the principle on which a lubricator operates. How does the oil get from the cup to the steam chest?

A. The lubricator is located in the cab so there is a gradual descent in the oil pipe from the lubricator to the steam chest. Above the oil reservoir is a condenser that is kept filled with water condensed from steam fed from the boiler. The pressure of this water comes on the oil in the oil tank below it, forcing oil through the sight-feed valves; it then passes up by the sight-feed glasses to the oil pipe and steam chest. The use of the glasses is to make the drop of oil visible as it leaves the sight-feed nipple so the amount of oil fed can be regulated. Steam from the boiler fed to the lubricator at boiler pressure through the equalizing tubes balances the pressure which comes from the steam chest when the engine is working steam.

20. Q. How should the lubricator be filled?

A. First close all valves connected with the lubricator, open drain plug and remove filling plug, allowing water to escape until oil appears with it. Drain plug should then be closed. Fill the oil tank in the usual way, being careful not to overflow it; then replace filling plug. If the supply of oil is insufficient to fill the lubricator, water can be used to finish it, as the lubricator will begin feeding sooner when filled full.

21. Q. After filling lubricator, what should be done?

A. Open the steam throttle to the lubricator wide, then carefully open the water valve, but do not open the feeds until sure the chamber in the glass is filled with water.

22. Q. How long before leaving terminal should the feed valves be opened? Why?

A. About fifteen minutes; this time is necessary to allow oil to feed through the oil pipe and reach the steam chests.

23. Q. How many drops should be fed per minute?

A. From one to seven, timed by the watch, depending on conditions. Cylinders of large size require more oil than smaller ones.

24. Q. If lubricator feeds regularly when working steam and too rapidly after shutting off, what is the trouble?

A. The opening in the choke plug at the lubricator or through the steam valves at the steam chest is too large and should be reduced to the proper size by applying new chokes or valves.

25. Q. When valves appear dry while using steam and the lubricator is working all right, what would you do to relieve these conditions?

A. Ease off throttle for a few seconds to reduce the steam chest pressure and drop the reverse lever a few notches to give the valve a longer travel; oil held in the pipes will then flow down.

=FEDERAL REGULATIONS=

=For Inspection of Locomotive Boilers and Safety Appliances=

1. Q. What is the purpose of the federal rules and regulations for inspection of locomotive boilers?

A. So that all railroads operating under the laws of the United States government, would be obliged to maintain their boilers in a safe working condition.

2. Q. What is the purpose of the quarterly and monthly interstate inspection cards placed in the cab of the locomotive?

A. So that the federal inspector or engineer may see that the locomotive boiler has received its monthly or quarterly inspection.

3. Q. What constitutes a safety appliance, as applied to a locomotive?

A. Any appliance that is placed on a locomotive for the purpose of protecting the employees from personal injury.

4. Q. Name some of the safety appliances found on a locomotive?

A. Shield for tubular glass lubricators, also shields for water glass, automatic couplers, with lever attachments, air brakes, etc.

5. Q. In what condition should safety appliances be maintained?

A. They should be maintained in first class condition.

6. Q. What should be done in event of any of the safety appliances being damaged while engine is in service so as to render it unsafe?

A. Warn all employees whose duties require them to work around the locomotive of its unsafe condition, then make report to those in authority so that it may be taken out of service until repairs are made.

7. Q. What effort should be made on the part of the engineer to prevent persons using a safety appliance which he knows is damaged and unsafe?

A. He should use such precaution as in his judgment would protect from injury all persons who are on or around the locomotive.

8. Q. What is the duty of the engineer in event of his discovering a safety appliance which is in an unsafe condition when taking an engine from roundhouse territory?

A. He should report at once to the person in authority so that necessary repairs may be made before engine goes into service.

=PYLE-NATIONAL ELECTRIC HEADLIGHT=

1. Q. Why are electric headlights applied to locomotives?

A. Electric headlights are applied to locomotives so that the engineer may have a clear view of the track for enough ahead of the train to enable him to protect the company's property in his charge.

2. Q. How far ahead of the engine should the arc headlight illuminate the track?

A. Not less than from fifteen to twenty telegraph poles.

3. Q. State how you would focus the lamp.

A. First, would adjust back of the reflector so front edge of reflector will be parallel with front edge of case. Second, adjust the lamp to have point of copper electrode as near the center of reflector as possible with carbons as near the center of the chimney holes as you can set them. Third, have the locomotive on straight track. Now move the base of the lamp around until you get a parallel beam of white light straight down the center of the track, then tighten the lamp down.

4. Q. If the light throws shadows upon the track, is it properly focused?

A. No.

5. Q. If the light is properly focused, that is, if the rays are leaving the reflector in parallel lines, but the light does not strike the center of the track, what should be done?

A. When the light rays are thrown out in parallel lines and they do not strike the center of the track, it denotes that the headlight case is not set straight with the engine, and the entire case on base board must be shifted until the shaft of light strikes the track as desired.

6. Q. What can you do to insure a good and unfailing light for the entire trip?

A. By carefully inspecting the entire equipment before departing on each trip, and know that there are no wires with insulation charred or worn off, that all screws and connections are tight, commutator clean and brushes set in brush holder in proper manner. Carbon in lamp of sufficient length to complete trip, and that the carbon will feed through the clutch freely and rests central over the copper electrode. Copper electrode cleaned off, oil in both bearings and see that steam does not blow at stuffing box gland.

7. Q. What kind of oil and how much would you use in the bearings of the electric headlight equipment?

A. Would use the best grade of black or engine oil furnished for both bearings and only enough oil in oil cellar that the revolving loose oil ring may trail through the oil. When bearings are supplied with oil cups, use a heavy oil such as good engine or valve oil.

8. Q. Why should you not use valve oil in these bearings?

A. Valve oil cannot be used successfully in the main bearing because of its heavy body. Valve oil could not be carried up to shaft by the oil ring in cold weather, as the ring will not revolve.

9. Q. What is the most vital part of the dynamo?

A. The commutator.

10. Q. What care or attention should be given the commutator?

A. The commutator must be kept clean, free from dirt, and the mica must be kept filed a trifle below the surface of the copper bars.

11. Q. What kind of a bearing should the brush have on the commutator?

A. Brushes should be fitted to have a bearing with the same contour as the commutator.

12. Q. How are the brushes fitted?

A. Brushes are fitted by cutting a strip of No. 0 sandpaper about the width of the commutator surface (have the dynamo idle), place the strips of sandpaper under the brush, then pull the sandpaper from left to right; continue this process until the brush has been fitted to a true smooth bearing. Then trim about one-eighth inch off of the front edge of the brush.

13. Q. Is it advisable to ever try to fit a brush with a file or knife?

A. Most emphatically no. You could not get a bearing across the brush no matter how hard you might try with either a file or a knife.

14. Q. Why is it important to clean the scale off of the point of the copper electrode each trip?

A. The scale on the copper electrode after it has cooled off is a non-conductor of current, and acts as a blind gasket between the carbon and the copper electrode. Unless this scale is removed, the current cannot pass between the points of carbon and electrode and you cannot, therefore, have a light. When the dynamo fields are compound wound, it is unnecessary to clean scale from copper electrode oftener than once a week, at which time copper electrode should be removed from holder and all scale cleaned off. (With compound wound dynamo fields the cab lamps will continue to burn when head-lamp is extinguished by lifting carbon by hand.)

15. Q. How should the copper electrode be trimmed at the point?

A. The copper electrode should have about one-eighth inch surface on the contact point.

16. Q. How far should the copper electrode project over the holder?

A. About one inch.

17. Q. Should the electrode be raised up to one and one-half inches, what might happen?

A. If the copper electrode was run at a point so near the clutch, the intense heat of the arc might do damage to the top carbon holder and clutch.

18. Q. What regulation should be given to the tension spring No. 93 of the lamp, and why?

A. This tension spring, No. 93, should be regulated when the current is off the lamp and should be adjusted only tight enough to pull the magnet yoke up against the top stop lug on the side of lamp column.

19. Q. If this tension spring was tightened too tightly, what might happen?

A. At usual speed between stations, the movement of the engine would impart an added resistance against the pull of the solenoid by the tension spring, which would shorten up the arc and dim down the light.

20. Q. Is there anything else that could cause the light to dim down when the engine is running fast?

A. Yes; if the spring No. 92-A that hold the heel of the clutch should be too weak, the heel of the clutch would be forced up by the motion of the locomotive; this would release the carbon which would fall to the point of the copper electrode, causing the light to dim down, or, if the clutch should be used until the sharp edge that grips the carbon should have become worn smooth or round, the same would occur.

21. Q. If the light burns satisfactorily while the engine is in motion, but goes out when engine is stopped, where would you find the trouble?

A. This trouble is most always found to be caused by the tension spring No. 93 being too weak, though if the dash-pot plunger has become corroded until it sticks in the dash-pot, the light will act the same as if the tension spring were too weak.

22. Q. If the dash-pot should be found stuck, would you put oil in it?

A. Coal oil could be used to clean and cut the dirt out of the pot and from off the plunger, but after the dash-pot and plunger have been cleaned, all oil must be wiped off, for oil would cause the plunger to stick as well as collect dirt.

23. Q. If the carbon of lamp should "jig or pound", what can be done to stop it?

A. If the carbons pound the electrode, it is evidence that the iron armature No. 64 may be too far out of the solenoid, or the speed of the turbine engine may be too slow. This trouble can be remedied by adding another link to the suspension link, which has one end connected to the magnet yoke, the other end being connected to the iron armature No. 64. If, however, when the arc is formed, it is found that the bottom end of iron armature No. 64 measures one-half inch from bottom of solenoid, the pounding is caused by the speed of turbine engine being too slow.

24. Q. If the copper electrode was fusing, how would you know it?

A. When the copper electrode is fused, a green light is always given off.

25. Q. What should be done when a green light is seen?

A. Immediately close off on the steam throttle until a white light re-appears.

26. Q. What is the cause of the fusing of the copper electrode?

A. Usually too high speed of the armature, although should you connect the wires up wrong that the current flowing from the dynamo to the lamp should enter the lamp at the electrode instead of passing through the carbon first, you would get a green light and fuse the electrode.

27. Q. What arrangements have been made so that you cannot connect the wires wrong?

A. The positive binding posts, both at the dynamo and the lamp, have been provided with a much larger hole to receive the wire than has been made in the negative binding posts, and the ends of the positive wire should always be bent or doubled back, so that they will just enter the receptacle in the positive binding posts, but cannot be connected at the negative binding posts.

28. Q. Should the copper electrode and holder become fused until no longer serviceable while on the road, what would you do?

A. Would remove the damaged holder from the lamp and substitute either an iron bolt of sufficient length or a carbon, securing the improvised electrode in the bracket of lamp same as the electrode holder is held, only being sure that the end of the bolt or carbon comes up into the center of the reflector and did not rest on the base of reflector or lamp.

29. Q. What is the difference between a series wound equipment and a compound wound equipment, and what advantages are obtained from the use of the compound equipment.

A. With the series wound equipment, the incandescent cab lights burn only with the arc lamp, while with the compound machine the incandescent lamps are independent of the arc and can be used as desired.

30. Q. If you were running along with your light burning steadily and nicely, then suddenly the light began to flash badly and kept it up, where would you look for the trouble?

A. Trouble would usually be found at one of the binding posts, where one of the binding post screws would be found loose.

31. Q. If you were running along with light burning satisfactorily and suddenly it went out, where would you be likely to find the trouble?

A. You would find that either the carbon had burned out, one of the lead wires had broken between the dynamo and the lamp, or one of the wires had gotten loose at the binding post and fallen out.

32. Q. If the light goes out while you are between stations, what course should an engineer pursue?

A. If the light goes out while you are between stations and an investigation cannot be made within a few minutes thereafter to determine the cause, the steam should be shut off from the turbine and the dynamo stopped until such time when the cause of failure can be determined.

33. Q. Why is it essential to shut off steam and stop the equipment?

A. For the reason that if the failure was due to a short circuit, damage might be done to the coils or armature by overheating.

34. Q. How does the equipment act when short-circuited?

A. When there is short circuit, the engine will labor heavily, run slow with a large volume of steam blowing at the exhaust, there will be no light shown either at the arc or cab lamps, and the carbon point and cab lights will only show a dull red or go entirely out.

35. Q. How will the equipment act when the circuit is broken, either by a broken disconnected wire or a burned-out carbon?

A. With a broken circuit the engine will run noiselessly and fast with very little steam blowing at exhaust and no light will be seen at the arc or on cab lights.

36. Q. If the insulation on the cab wires is worn off until your two wires can come together either directly or through the medium of some metallic substance, what would occur?

A. A short circuit would result that would put out all of your lights.

37. Q. What should be done?