<P>Hello,<br>I have a question about drivers slipping. I have read that it is bad on the tubes in the boiler when you slip and loose traction from a start because the rapid exhaust draws in cold air into the fire box and can cause the tubes to leak. This makes sense to me, but heres my question. When an engine is working hard it is drawing in air rapidly as it does when its slips, so why does this not cause the same problems? What is the difference?<br>Thanks<br>Alan<br>




adatmsu@aol.com

<P>Even working hard, the engine exhausts at a much slower rate than during a slip. Slipping creates a very fast stream of exhausts which can even pull the fire off the grates and out through the tubes, creating holes in the firebed that cold air can enter. Hard working provides a measured series of exhausts which leave the firebed time to readjust and the fireman time to provide more fuel (according to the fine print). This drafts rather than removes the fire. <p>Old fireman's trick was to pile up a bank just across the back of the firebox under the door, which would be drawn down onto the grate in case of a slip. The rest of the grate would be fired lightly and often. <p>Dave<br>




lathro19@idt.net

<P>Dave, Thanks for the explanation. So when you slip, do you close the throttle completely?<br>Alan<br>




adatmsu@aol.com

<P>Lotta dependent variables. Catching the drivers on sand has potential nasty repercussions on the machinery, I would at least ease off before sanding if not close down entirely. There are other guys on this forum who do more running and I do more wrenching, so there is probably better advice out there.<p>Dave<br>




lathro19@idt.net

<P>Well - I do some driving, firing and wrenching - on our 4cyl. locomotive. When driving a sort of local train with lot of stops and starts I usually close the primary and secondary air doors ( dampers ? and firedoor) for a short time when the risks for slipping are high and then open them gradually when gaining speed. This seems to save some small amount of coal since I dont have to repair my fire from slippings ripping it up. As driver I usually ease back the regulator and then adjust out the steering ( Walchaerts gear) to keep on mowing whith softer piston strokes in the mascinery. On extremely slippery rails some pumping action whith the regulator in rythm whith the engine is a trick in getting out of the crisis. Since we have a walve-pressureinstrument in the cab this isn difficult to learn.<br>Good luck, drive carefully from Norway <br>(The Sander is for fools.)<br> RaA ;o)<br>




ragand@online.no