Great video..love those steam locos. I had the opportunity to pick an 1830's vintage loco up in Chicago back in the 80's and deliver it to the Essex Steam Train Depot in Essex Connecticut for refurbishing < I was a trucker back then>
Back in 1970 I happened to be in NJ where I helped and watched Nickle Plate 759 come to life from ice cold to a full head of steam. What do you use to build a fire on the grates when no regular firewood is available? Why old railroad ties of course, it took just over 7 hours to finally get enough steam to run the blower and finally get the smoke out of the cab. Prior to lighting the fire I spent a few hours crawling under the brake beams but on top of the ties to grease the brake beams and driver boxes, gawd I wish I was that skinny again. When we finally had steam for the blower it also meant we had steam for the cab heaters. Oh yeah the boiler from ice cold to working pressure expands horizontally as much as an inch and a half. And yes it is fascinating listening to her come back to life, without any compressed air to run the blower so the cab was full of smoke until finally we had steam for the blower, not fun with a cab full of smoke.
I love American steam but this loco takes the cake!! I have seen pictures of this engine before and it resembles that of an american Steam loco with Pyle generator & headlight and many other apurnaces. Great job at making this video for all of us steam fans and not for Cockroach2008
It is indeed. This is a ''Detroit'' lubricator and is used to lubricate the air pump, cylinders and valves of the loco. To quote Wikipedia; The displacement lubricator was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1860 by John Ramsbottom. It operates by allowing steam to enter a closed vessel containing oil. After condensing, the water sinks to the bottom of the vessel, causing the oil to rise and overflow into delivery pipes for delivery to the valves and cylinders.
THE WHOLE BOILER EXPLODES!!!!!!! I have actually seen that train and my family got a private tour of that set Used to pass it all the time and was cot in the filming of the night shoots shut high way down for a couple hours Sadly the clock tower fell down and then the year we moved out of California that whole set burnt to the ground in one of many wild fires that year A bit of trivia the bullets used in the saloon were real not blanks
Fuck man total RESPECT to the poor engineers back in the day who had to do this every day or every week. We're so lucky today all engineers have to do is turn a switch or a key and then the train is on the way.
Many thanks Peter, I've had the privilege of driving 1271 around the loop at Paekak and your video brought all the memories back to life. Thanks again!
I didn't think I'd ever get to see one of these wake up and go to work. I'm so happy that some of the old steam engines are receiving the love and care they need to roam the rails once more. Long live steam!
There is something special about Steam engines. I know it's a machine and not really living but it's almost as though it's more than that. I don't know really how to put it into words.
Old steam engines are amazing! I'm stymied at the amount of lubricants that these beasts use and without that life blood very bad things can happen. I can only imagine what would have happened if a bearing seized up on one of the main wheel bearings where the piston arm is converted to power.
A very interesting video. I worked as a stationary operating engineer for over twenty years for a large hospital. I ran a battery of four 150 ton Scotch marine boilers. All of the boilers throttling was automated. Just about the only thing I had to do was to make sure the boiler feed water had the correct chemicals and that the deaerator was functioning properly. I had to check boiler operation once an hour, but these guys had their work cut out for them. Very labor intensive compared to what I had to do with managing the boiler plant.
I'm a member of a steam preservation group. on the 1st Jan every year we fire up our 0-6-0 EX-GWR locomotive but not before we each take a dump in the firebox. It's something we've done every year since 2009. Call it superstition...
Southmead Lad. I've been playing with loco, ship, traction engine and stationary boilers for over 35 years and haven't had any problems either. We just follow best practice and common sense. We still don't dump in the firebox. Still weird.
Thanks for taking the time to shoot and edit this. As someone that only works on steamboats it's always fun to watch your guys tricks for everything. I like the compressed air stack ring for the initial draft.
Wow - great video leadingtruck, love the removable blower ring, i guess it must be a NZ thing - I use a pedestal fan sitting on a milk crate til I've got about 30PSI - gets the job done! Adding notes of whats happening is a fantastic idea.
A neighbour, back in the 1950's, had the job as fireman (as opposed to stoker), and it was his job at 4 am each working day - rain, hail or shine - to drive the mile or so to the local rail yards to clean out and then fire up the steam engines, the job you see being done here, neither of which was under cover. He used to return home after a 4 hour shift for his breakfast, and time out, to return another 5 hours later for his second four hour shift, when he would shut the locos down by 5 pm. Almost everything stopped at 5 o'clock back in those days. Old Jack was happy to retire when diesel engines appeared on the scene.
I think the one thing that is lacking in this video is some narration. It would be great to actually hear, with some of the not so obvious steps, what was actually being done. Pretty cool though.
Exactly, no commentary means a lot of pretty pictures but no sense. Also showing gauges without any units is absolutely meaningless, they could be counting potatoes for all I know.
Not wanting to flog a dead horse but I agree with everyone. Not knowing anything about steam trains nothing made a lot of sense. Ive gone away with many questions from an otherwise good video. Like why do you stick the angles halo down the chimney or were the steam noise is coming from on a cold boiler. Can we get a rerun with dialog maybe
the halo was to help create a draft with air and by steam noise on a cold boiler what do you mean by that? did you mean when they were moving the engine with the diesel or when they were starting it up?
Here in Britain it was very rare to light a fire in a steam engine from cold . If not needed the fire would be left banked up , a low fire so to be ready when needed . I have been told it took three days to get a engine ready .If for any reason the fire had to be put out . One of the reasons it took so long , is the fire had to be built up slowly, not to distort the fire box , with excusive heat in one spot .
@leadingtruck Thankyou for sharing this with us mate! i bookmarked this! My great grand dad Tom stinson was a steam loco tech/driver over here in oz. As im sure you know we have High quality iron ore fields and there were sooo many stories shared from him! one was of him delivering iron ore loads to the docks and greeting the Japanese captain and as he asked what the iron ore was for the Japanese captain laughed and made a gun sign with his hands and went bang. This was shortly before the war.
A 17 ton three foot guage 4-4-0 takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to fire up from cold to being able to move a train. I have done it numerous times and with a propane fire.
Roy Reynolds This is a 70 tonne (69.1 long tons, 77.4 short tons) NZR Ja-Class 3'6" gauge 4-8-2, I believe it takes around 6-8 hours to go from cold to running (Don't quote me on that, I've only worked on much smaller tank engines on the same gauge.) Also, a propane fire in a steam locomotive?
love the Vanderbilt style tender (what we call them here in the US) Good ol' PN dynamo whine, and the NZ 5 chime whistle (GREAT sounding as are the South African 3 and 5 chimes). Glad to see you backed 1/4 turn off of the turret. That way if someone jumps up there, there is some slack to let them know it is already open instead of them trying to force it open. There are enough video's with commentaries. I just like hearing the sounds of the engine being brought to live instead of someone talking over it or worse yet, using a computer generated voice to narrate it. Great job!
Compressed came from an air tank or generator. Its used to draw the initial draft, and initial boiler filling. After steam pressure is built up enough, steam can be used to keep the draft and run essential equipment.
Would have loved a commentary on what each valve was for and why they check or change each bit. Loved the sound of the dynamo spinning up. Good video anyway.
I always wondered how they start up and what you have to do. Thanks for sharing, it answered many questions I had. Still curious what the other parts are, but I will find out eventually
No, they usually just fall through the fire bars and down into the ash pan, then they just stay there until they're scraped out at the end of the day with the rest of the ash and waste.
Aleksandar Katic That's what a hydrostatic lubricator looks like in service, if a locomotive built with a hydrostatic lubricator remained in service on a big railroad more than likely the replaced the hydrostatic lubricator was replaced with a mechanical lubricator, which used steam only on a heating circuit to keep the oil warm and the mechanical lubricator pumped oil into the areas the mechanical department wants it to. And are adjustable to increase or decrease the oil flow to each individual point pumping precise amounts of oil which saved the railroads money. There are two mechanical pumps on each steam locomotive, one is marked engine oil the other is marked lubrication which supplies oil to any point needed for lubrication. Best example of modern steam power using mechanical lubrication to its advantage is Norfolk and Western class J passenger power which could run 500 miles before needing service, but that class of engine was all roller bearing on all axles and rods and when needing service generally took one hour to completely service the engine. So that takes us basically from 1860 when the hydrostatic lubricator was invented to the end of steam in the United States. The Norfolk and Western didn't retire steam locomotives because they liked the Diesel locomotive, they did so because all the companies that provided the auxiliary systems went out of business and it would have been too expensive to build all the systems themselves. Because of N&W belief in steam they were the last class 1 railroad to retire steam power in 1960.
I ask of a possibility . Is there a J or K that requires a new boiler ? The reason I ask is that I love steam , and would like to see what is possible with a " modern upgrade " . For instance , a new LPG powered boiler ( but keep the outer barrel ! ) . They are reasonably efficient aren't they ? How about having certain other mechanical functions improved ? I am sure there are some candidates . Is there room for some computer assist ? Much appreciate your thoughts.
Yes! Amen. Thanks for uploading! I always knew that the trainmen of days of old worked their tails off, but my gosh: seeing what goes into just getting a locomotive started, in a procedure-by-procedure start-up like that, really brings it home.
Hai ! Friends I go back to my teen age in 1965 iam school boy daily travel by this train really I enjoy four years with my friends "oh"what a sweet day I thanks to indian railways and treir staff thankyou from tamilnadu sathya.
As a young boy in the 40's before all regulations if you asked politely the engineer would let you ride in cab . the engine would pick up grain cars from village elevators and deliver down branch lines to CNR mainline. Those were the days when a prairie boy could get the thrill of a lifetime before safety rules spoiled it for next generation.
Esteemed Gentlemen; It would be greatly appreciated, not only if you could add some narration, maybe even in the form of subtitling, but also give us a brief history of the locomotive: its age, size, gauge, where it served, when it was retired, when/where/how it was restored and put into service again... There is so much that we could learn from this video! Thanks awfully. Warmest regards, Dave Bogan
Mundane! Now, dear film maker, go back with this video and get the engineer to add an audio track, explaining the steps. That will elevate the video from mundane to most informative and will increase the interest level of the audience.
Every time I see someone emerge backwards from a smoke box, I expect them to blink slowly through sooty eyes, like Oliver Hardy in the chimney-sweep film.
same here...i just recently learned what that sound was coming from, ive always heard that sound before, but i never knew what it was, or exactly where it was coming from
***** Not a pain in the butt at all. It's those extra things you have to do that makes them better than diesels! It's a labor of love. Think of the millions of people who lost their jobs when diesels came in. We are seeing history repeat itself in the supermarket with self service checkouts. The easier we make things, automation of jobs etc, the more unemployment. Steam tech will always be better in more ways than one ( :
I think many people disliked closed the video immediately when they saw the diesel loco start up. Very interesting to see the cold start though - I did wonder how they got draught with no steam, and now I see! ;)
+Steve Wright Would be fun to see if draft would naturally establish through the steam locomotive's boiler.Presumably it would, since many flues are higher than the fire and the chimney (smoke stack) would also increase draft.
Steve Wright if the wind is blowing the right way and the loco is still warm from the day before its not too bad, if not you just stay out if the cab as much as possible till you've got the pressure to crack the blower.
I've fired up a S class NKP class 2-8-4 using just natural draught with an ice cold boiler using old railroad ties cut up into 3 foot lengths and your looking at just to reach 150 pounds steam pressure right around 24 hours. Remember the boiler is a pressure vessel and with a boiler that size it expands more than an inch and 1/2 in length from ice cold to hot at 150 pounds working pressure being 275 PSI. The wood he used is a lot easier than using old railroad ties. I didn't have old journal waste to start the wood on fire so I improvised and poured right around 3 gallons of diesel fuel onto all the pieces of old ties I threw into the firebox and even using 5 minute fusses it still took two attempts to finally get the fire going. 19 hours later I finally had steam out the blower but no pressure on the steam gauge and even then you don't run the blower wide open. You close the firebox door and keep the blower low enough to keep smoke out of the cab and bring the boiler pressure up very slowly. The locomotive in this video has a small firebox where the engine I was waking up has 100 square feet of grate area and while it is stoker fired you can't use the stoker until you build up your fire and level it off then build up the bank in a horseshoe shape so when you go to work the draught doesn't tear the fire apart. Not a fun thing to do in March and you sure do appreciate the heat when you can turn it on in the cab. Yes diesels are easier to fire up but steam is like some else said you bring her to life.
Excellent video. I know enough about steam locomotive to be dangerous (lol) but being a railroad engineer myself for CSX here in America I was able to figure out everything that you were doing. Just wish it was a bit longer with some naration.
What is the steam turbine @7:36 used for, and also, what does the 'big pump' do that is shown @8:05? I'm going to take a guess that the turbine make electricity for lights and stuff, and maybe the pump is used to move water around?
Love steam. Never stop . Its very very cool . She IS alive, you do dig this ? She has pressure and heartbeat and temperature . And she IS beautiful. Its a steam operated firedoor , yes, off a foot valve . The thingy in the smokestack is a blower to force draft to get the fire ( wood ) going well. Yes, thats a generator , yes, for lights . The teapots ? you mean oil cans ? She needs oil in quite a few places internal and external. The valves....haha ! the answer is in a book !
baritonebynight steam excursions are becoming rare because of lack of crews and the hoops you have to jump through to be able to get on the mainline. not to mention the lack of carriages some groups face.
Its not that bad, the matter fairly quickly becomes routine once you've been through it a few times. I've fired steam tractors that are started up in a similar manner. Just not as much plumbing to worry about.
Huge labor expense for operation, compared to diesels, was one of the nails in the coffin for steamers. Then factor in low thermal efficiency, huge maintenance expense, well ... Then there's the cinders & other filth. But they sure beat using horses back in the day even if their availability was so-so.
If you go to Lenno's Garage you can see him fireing up on of his steam cars. Fifteen to twenty minutes is all it takes. With a Locomotive more warming and valves and grease cups to fill....Just like when I am on a job with my 1950s dozer you just cant fire it over and go to work lots of greasing has to get done first.
That is what we call the 'shed blower' Which runs on compressed air. It creates a draft for the fire (ie helps draw air through the grate, clears the smoke etc..) This is normally used until the boiler has enough steam to operate the locos own blower. I hope to remake this clip and add notes on whats going on. Cheers
Loved it, still so confused on what exactly is going on but thanks for posting. I too would love a break down with either captions or dialog, more of a where doing this because.... But you showed us more than we normally see, maybe one day I can bribe a Disneyland RR Engineer to teach me more.
If you did have to move the loco a reasonable distance you could pour some cylinder oil down the snifter valves which would drain down into the cylinders, but I personally wouldn't do this for more than ,say a few km's. If you were towing the loco for a long distance, you would either remove the connecting rods so the pistons and valves would not move at all or tow in steam so you can get the detroit lubricator to work.
@toplinkengineman i always thought it was customary to check the boiler had water in it before light-up, other wise it would be like boiling an empty kettle
Thanks for some insight on igniting and steaming up a coal-fired locomotive. BTW, is sand needed to remove the wood residue from the tubes and flues, once the fire is on the coal? (The wood leaves creosote deposits on the tubes and flues during the first half-hour of the ignition process.)
![Steam Locomotive Controls [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UrV8x01LLNo/mqdefault.jpg)
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You don't turn on a steam engine you bring it to life.
Mark G correct! a steam locomotive is a slumbering beast and must be roused from its sleep properly.
Great video..love those steam locos. I had the opportunity to pick an 1830's vintage loco up in Chicago back in the 80's and deliver it to the Essex Steam Train Depot in Essex Connecticut for refurbishing < I was a trucker back then>
Back in 1970 I happened to be in NJ where I helped and watched Nickle Plate 759 come to life from ice cold to a full head of steam. What do you use to build a fire on the grates when no regular firewood is available? Why old railroad ties of course, it took just over 7 hours to finally get enough steam to run the blower and finally get the smoke out of the cab. Prior to lighting the fire I spent a few hours crawling under the brake beams but on top of the ties to grease the brake beams and driver boxes, gawd I wish I was that skinny again. When we finally had steam for the blower it also meant we had steam for the cab heaters. Oh yeah the boiler from ice cold to working pressure expands horizontally as much as an inch and a half. And yes it is fascinating listening to her come back to life, without any compressed air to run the blower so the cab was full of smoke until finally we had steam for the blower, not fun with a cab full of smoke.
I love American steam but this loco takes the cake!! I have seen pictures of this engine before and it resembles that of an american Steam loco with Pyle generator & headlight and many other apurnaces. Great job at making this video for all of us steam fans and not for Cockroach2008
I think the new locos have those fancy keyless ignitions.
It is indeed. This is a ''Detroit'' lubricator and is used to lubricate the air pump, cylinders and valves of the loco. To quote Wikipedia; The displacement lubricator was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1860 by John Ramsbottom. It operates by allowing steam to enter a closed vessel containing oil. After condensing, the water sinks to the bottom of the vessel, causing the oil to rise and overflow into delivery pipes for delivery to the valves and cylinders.
you have to put in the colored logs to make it go 88 mph
1.21 GIGAWATTS!?
+clhound 1.21 JIGAWATTS!?
Back to the future.
THE WHOLE BOILER EXPLODES!!!!!!! I have actually seen that train and my family got a private tour of that set
Used to pass it all the time and was cot in the filming of the night shoots shut high way down for a couple hours
Sadly the clock tower fell down and then the year we moved out of California that whole set burnt to the ground in one of many wild fires that year
A bit of trivia the bullets used in the saloon were real not blanks
You lucky person, that is so cool.
Fuck man total RESPECT to the poor engineers back in the day who had to do this every day or every week. We're so lucky today all engineers have to do is turn a switch or a key and then the train is on the way.
They would of just thought it a job but they deserve respect. Tbh you don't just flick a switch
Many thanks Peter, I've had the privilege of driving 1271 around the loop at Paekak and your video brought all the memories back to life. Thanks again!
This is good information. If I ever run across one of these, and someone has left the keys in it.......
I didn't think I'd ever get to see one of these wake up and go to work. I'm so happy that some of the old steam engines are receiving the love and care they need to roam the rails once more. Long live steam!
There is something special about Steam engines. I know it's a machine and not really living but it's almost as though it's more than that. I don't know really how to put it into words.
Nobody Well said. It's like a living breathing 🔥hot 🐉dragon! ***
For those of us who don't know what is going on a commentary would be very helpful
The shed blower is really just to keep the smoke out of the cab until the loco can do it herself.
Old steam engines are amazing! I'm stymied at the amount of lubricants that these beasts use and without that life blood very bad things can happen. I can only imagine what would have happened if a bearing seized up on one of the main wheel bearings where the piston arm is converted to power.
Awesome! It would be great to see some description of what is going on and why!
This might give you some of what you're after th-cam.com/video/xx9Q8PphAVo/w-d-xo.html
A very interesting video. I worked as a stationary operating engineer for over twenty years for a large hospital. I ran a battery of four 150 ton Scotch marine boilers. All of the boilers throttling was automated. Just about the only thing I had to do was to make sure the boiler feed water had the correct chemicals and that the deaerator was functioning properly. I had to check boiler operation once an hour, but these guys had their work cut out for them. Very labor intensive compared to what I had to do with managing the boiler plant.
It's so amaizing to see what goes into bringing a steam locomotive to life. Love it every time. :D
Only a true editing genius could have timed the turbo generator spooling up at 7:47 !
haha i get it
They dont make em like this anymore. Beautiful piece of machinery. Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting, I would have never guessed there was so much to do to operate this locomotive. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a member of a steam preservation group. on the 1st Jan every year we fire up our 0-6-0 EX-GWR locomotive but not before we each take a dump in the firebox. It's something we've done every year since 2009. Call it superstition...
Southmead Lad That's so screwed up!
You say that but consider this: we have had no derailments or boiler explosions since we have been dumping our arse filth in the firebox...
Southmead Lad. I've been playing with loco, ship, traction engine and stationary boilers for over 35 years and haven't had any problems either. We just follow best practice and common sense. We still don't dump in the firebox. Still weird.
perhaps we'll stop and see what happens...
Southmead Lad Lol. Good luck. All the best!
Thanks for taking the time to shoot and edit this. As someone that only works on steamboats it's always fun to watch your guys tricks for everything. I like the compressed air stack ring for the initial draft.
What a beautiful machine. I wish we had more large live steam locomotives in Christchurch. Thanks for posting and keep up the great work.
Wow - great video leadingtruck, love the removable blower ring, i guess it must be a NZ thing - I use a pedestal fan sitting on a milk crate til I've got about 30PSI - gets the job done! Adding notes of whats happening is a fantastic idea.
Fascinating - Thanks...! Gordon
Easy to see why diesels took over so quickly, very skilled and slow to raise full head of steam, but still wonderful.
aw man 50 things to do before your fired up steam locomotive even moves..now I want a train..for historic interests...
so beautiful, I was lucky to ride a couple of times in India. I was in high school, now can't. timed have changed.
That's really interesting , never think of "getting them started" --only after all that and heading along the tracks. Thanks--
A neighbour, back in the 1950's, had the job as fireman (as opposed to stoker), and it was his job at 4 am each working day - rain, hail or shine - to drive the mile or so to the local rail yards to clean out and then fire up the steam engines, the job you see being done here, neither of which was under cover. He used to return home after a 4 hour shift for his breakfast, and time out, to return another 5 hours later for his second four hour shift, when he would shut the locos down by 5 pm. Almost everything stopped at 5 o'clock back in those days. Old Jack was happy to retire when diesel engines appeared on the scene.
I wouldn't mind that hella allot more interesting than siting writing reports all day
hughvane l
I think the one thing that is lacking in this video is some narration. It would be great to actually hear, with some of the not so obvious steps, what was actually being done. Pretty cool though.
Exactly, no commentary means a lot of pretty pictures but no sense. Also showing gauges without any units is absolutely meaningless, they could be counting potatoes for all I know.
+Mark Hubert. - Exactly. I can follow the obvious bits but some commentary would be good. The presentation is excellent though !
Not wanting to flog a dead horse but I agree with everyone. Not knowing anything about steam trains nothing made a lot of sense. Ive gone away with many questions from an otherwise good video. Like why do you stick the angles halo down the chimney or were the steam noise is coming from on a cold boiler. Can we get a rerun with dialog maybe
Mark Hubert I totally agree!
the halo was to help create a draft with air and by steam noise on a cold boiler what do you mean by that? did you mean when they were moving the engine with the diesel or when they were starting it up?
A bunch of little machines making up one big engine. Very cool.
Great video! And, what a beautiful locomotive. You guys are doing a great job keeping her in top shape. Keep up the great work!
We see you pass through Shannon most Saturdays. Fantastic sight.
Here in Britain it was very rare to light a fire in a steam engine from cold . If not needed the fire would be left banked up , a low fire so to be ready when needed . I have been told it took three days to get a engine ready .If for any reason the fire had to be put out . One of the reasons it took so long , is the fire had to be built up slowly, not to distort the fire box , with excusive heat in one spot .
Thank you for this video I have always loved the steam locomotives as a kid and I still do. just an amazing machine
it's hard work operating a steam locomotive from start up to drive till the end
@leadingtruck Thankyou for sharing this with us mate! i bookmarked this! My great grand dad Tom stinson was a steam loco tech/driver over here in oz. As im sure you know we have High quality iron ore fields and there were sooo many stories shared from him! one was of him delivering iron ore loads to the docks and greeting the Japanese captain and as he asked what the iron ore was for the Japanese captain laughed and made a gun sign with his hands and went bang. This was shortly before the war.
Loved the video. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
A 17 ton three foot guage 4-4-0 takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to fire up from cold to being able to move a train. I have done it numerous times and with a propane fire.
Roy Reynolds This is a 70 tonne (69.1 long tons, 77.4 short tons) NZR Ja-Class 3'6" gauge 4-8-2, I believe it takes around 6-8 hours to go from cold to running (Don't quote me on that, I've only worked on much smaller tank engines on the same gauge.)
Also, a propane fire in a steam locomotive?
love the Vanderbilt style tender (what we call them here in the US) Good ol' PN dynamo whine, and the NZ 5 chime whistle (GREAT sounding as are the South African 3 and 5 chimes). Glad to see you backed 1/4 turn off of the turret. That way if someone jumps up there, there is some slack to let them know it is already open instead of them trying to force it open.
There are enough video's with commentaries. I just like hearing the sounds of the engine being brought to live instead of someone talking over it or worse yet, using a computer generated voice to narrate it. Great job!
Unfortunately there is NO commentary to go along with the video so we all know no more than we did when we started watching it.
Its still a relaxing video to watch
There are a couple of old 30's videos showing the ins and outs of making, starting, and driving the old locos. They are all very interesting
Compressed came from an air tank or generator. Its used to draw the initial draft, and initial boiler filling. After steam pressure is built up enough, steam can be used to keep the draft and run essential equipment.
7:45 when the dynamo is turned on sounds like a turbo with boost building
Would have loved a commentary on what each valve was for and why they check or change each bit. Loved the sound of the dynamo spinning up. Good video anyway.
I always wondered how they start up and what you have to do. Thanks for sharing, it answered many questions I had. Still curious what the other parts are, but I will find out eventually
No, they usually just fall through the fire bars and down into the ash pan, then they just stay there until they're scraped out at the end of the day with the rest of the ash and waste.
Aleksandar Katic
That's what a hydrostatic lubricator looks like in service, if a locomotive built with a hydrostatic lubricator remained in service on a big railroad more than likely the replaced the hydrostatic lubricator was replaced with a mechanical lubricator, which used steam only on a heating circuit to keep the oil warm and the mechanical lubricator pumped oil into the areas the mechanical department wants it to. And are adjustable to increase or decrease the oil flow to each individual point pumping precise amounts of oil which saved the railroads money. There are two mechanical pumps on each steam locomotive, one is marked engine oil the other is marked lubrication which supplies oil to any point needed for lubrication. Best example of modern steam power using mechanical lubrication to its advantage is Norfolk and Western class J passenger power which could run 500 miles before needing service, but that class of engine was all roller bearing on all axles and rods and when needing service generally took one hour to completely service the engine. So that takes us basically from 1860 when the hydrostatic lubricator was invented to the end of steam in the United States. The Norfolk and Western didn't retire steam locomotives because they liked the Diesel locomotive, they did so because all the companies that provided the auxiliary systems went out of business and it would have been too expensive to build all the systems themselves. Because of N&W belief in steam they were the last class 1 railroad to retire steam power in 1960.
I ask of a possibility . Is there a J or K that requires a new boiler ? The reason I ask is that I love steam , and would like to see what is possible with a " modern upgrade " . For instance , a new LPG powered boiler ( but keep the outer barrel ! ) . They are reasonably efficient aren't they ? How about having certain other mechanical functions improved ? I am sure there are some candidates . Is there room for some computer assist ?
Much appreciate your thoughts.
It is actually beautiful to see the love these men have for that old gal.
Yes! Amen. Thanks for uploading! I always knew that the trainmen of days of old worked their tails off, but my gosh: seeing what goes into just getting a locomotive started, in a procedure-by-procedure start-up like that, really brings it home.
It must be something to feel this beast come to life.
Hai ! Friends I go back to my teen age in 1965 iam school boy daily travel by this train really I enjoy four years with my friends "oh"what a sweet day I thanks to indian railways and treir staff thankyou from tamilnadu sathya.
As a young boy in the 40's before all regulations if you asked politely the engineer would let you ride in cab . the engine would pick up grain cars from village elevators and deliver down branch lines to CNR mainline. Those were the days when a prairie boy could get the thrill of a lifetime before safety rules spoiled it for next generation.
Esteemed Gentlemen;
It would be greatly appreciated, not only if you could add some narration, maybe even in the form of subtitling, but also give us a brief history of the locomotive: its age, size, gauge, where it served, when it was retired, when/where/how it was restored and put into service again...
There is so much that we could learn from this video!
Thanks awfully.
Warmest regards,
Dave Bogan
Mundane! Now, dear film maker, go back with this video and get the engineer to add an audio track, explaining the steps. That will elevate the video from mundane to most informative and will increase the interest level of the audience.
No
Every time I see someone emerge backwards from a smoke box, I expect them to blink slowly through sooty eyes, like Oliver Hardy in the chimney-sweep film.
I would love this guy to make another one and explain each step. A great starter vid though
same here...i just recently learned what that sound was coming from, ive always heard that sound before, but i never knew what it was, or exactly where it was coming from
great footage. wonderful DETAIL ! thanks to all .
More Please ?
As much as I love steam trains I gotta say they seem like a real pain in the butt to operate. I can kinda see how diesels took over.
***** Not a pain in the butt at all. It's those extra things you have to do that makes them better than diesels! It's a labor of love. Think of the millions of people who lost their jobs when diesels came in. We are seeing history repeat itself in the supermarket with self service checkouts. The easier we make things, automation of jobs etc, the more unemployment. Steam tech will always be better in more ways than one ( :
+KiwiPowerNZ Steam locomotives are nasty, polluting, and high maintenance. Cut them apart, break them up, and melt them down for scrap!
***** I've seen that same comment on a lot of videos haha
***** Just because I hold a different opinion to you, that does not make me a troll. Break all steam locos for scrap now!
+KiwiPowerNZ
Hardly accurate to compare a diesel engine to self service checkouts. They still require plenty of manpower to keep running.
Now THAT's railroading!
I think many people disliked closed the video immediately when they saw the diesel loco start up. Very interesting to see the cold start though - I did wonder how they got draught with no steam, and now I see! ;)
+Steve Wright I almost did until I saw your comment.
+Steve Wright Would be fun to see if draft would naturally establish through the steam locomotive's boiler.Presumably it would, since many flues are higher than the fire and the chimney (smoke stack) would also increase draft.
Steve Wright if the wind is blowing the right way and the loco is still warm from the day before its not too bad, if not you just stay out if the cab as much as possible till you've got the pressure to crack the blower.
I've fired up a S class NKP class 2-8-4 using just natural draught with an ice cold boiler using old railroad ties cut up into 3 foot lengths and your looking at just to reach 150 pounds steam pressure right around 24 hours. Remember the boiler is a pressure vessel and with a boiler that size it expands more than an inch and 1/2 in length from ice cold to hot at 150 pounds working pressure being 275 PSI. The wood he used is a lot easier than using old railroad ties. I didn't have old journal waste to start the wood on fire so I improvised and poured right around 3 gallons of diesel fuel onto all the pieces of old ties I threw into the firebox and even using 5 minute fusses it still took two attempts to finally get the fire going. 19 hours later I finally had steam out the blower but no pressure on the steam gauge and even then you don't run the blower wide open. You close the firebox door and keep the blower low enough to keep smoke out of the cab and bring the boiler pressure up very slowly. The locomotive in this video has a small firebox where the engine I was waking up has 100 square feet of grate area and while it is stoker fired you can't use the stoker until you build up your fire and level it off then build up the bank in a horseshoe shape so when you go to work the draught doesn't tear the fire apart. Not a fun thing to do in March and you sure do appreciate the heat when you can turn it on in the cab.
Yes diesels are easier to fire up but steam is like some else said you bring her to life.
Lol and a gevo, you flip a couple switches, and push 1 button. God we are lazy XD
Thanks for posting!!! Love it!
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and roar... I wish there were still steamers running past my place.
Shawn. Old West Hwy Duncan, AZ
When my dad worked for the UP in Pocatello, Idaho in the 50's, he says they lit up the coal with fusee's.
Very nice video. Like some others have said, It would be really nice for a longer video with some narration. Would really like to see that.
I can see why steam can be a love affair
Excellent video. I know enough about steam locomotive to be dangerous (lol) but being a railroad engineer myself for CSX here in America I was able to figure out everything that you were doing. Just wish it was a bit longer with some naration.
What is the steam turbine @7:36 used for, and also, what does the 'big pump' do that is shown @8:05? I'm going to take a guess that the turbine make electricity for lights and stuff, and maybe the pump is used to move water around?
Generator for electric lighting correct. Westinghouse air pump for the air brakes.
So many things to remember! Skilled job. Would've liked to have some commentary.
Love steam. Never stop . Its very very cool . She IS alive, you do dig this ? She has pressure and heartbeat and temperature . And she IS beautiful.
Its a steam operated firedoor , yes, off a foot valve . The thingy in the smokestack is a blower to force draft to get the fire ( wood ) going well. Yes, thats a generator , yes, for lights . The teapots ? you mean oil cans ? She needs oil in quite a few places internal and external. The valves....haha !
the answer is in a book !
very exiting actually beautiful to see the love these men have for that old gal.
as beautiful as it is it really seems like an incredible pain in the ass
I guess this is why steam excursions are becoming increasingly rare these days.
baritonebynight steam excursions are becoming rare because of lack of crews and the hoops you have to jump through to be able to get on the mainline. not to mention the lack of carriages some groups face.
it's not so bad if you use oil fire
Its not that bad, the matter fairly quickly becomes routine once you've been through it a few times. I've fired steam tractors that are started up in a similar manner. Just not as much plumbing to worry about.
Huge labor expense for operation, compared to diesels, was one of the nails in the coffin for steamers. Then factor in low thermal efficiency, huge maintenance expense, well ... Then there's the cinders & other filth. But they sure beat using horses back in the day even if their availability was so-so.
What a tedious job. Respect these guys !
If you go to Lenno's Garage you can see him fireing up on of his steam cars. Fifteen to twenty minutes is all it takes. With a Locomotive more warming and valves and grease cups to fill....Just like when I am on a job with my 1950s dozer you just cant fire it over and go to work lots of greasing has to get done first.
Hell of a ritual of getting it up to steam.
terrific video . love it . hope there are more coming ! many thanks from a waimate steam fan
That is what we call the 'shed blower' Which runs on compressed air. It creates a draft for the fire (ie helps draw air through the grate, clears the smoke etc..) This is normally used until the boiler has enough steam to operate the locos own blower. I hope to remake this clip and add notes on whats going on. Cheers
Loved it, still so confused on what exactly is going on but thanks for posting. I too would love a break down with either captions or dialog, more of a where doing this because....
But you showed us more than we normally see, maybe one day I can bribe a Disneyland RR Engineer to teach me more.
@zombieX111222333, Sort of, the basic steam loco is still there, plus the odd mod-con thrown in.
This is what it used to take to get the world started everyday. :) Really neat, thanks for sharing! :)
I love the details on the startup, you even included the lube. I still would like to have seen some comments on what was happening.
This is well explained: th-cam.com/video/xx9Q8PphAVo/w-d-xo.html
They are truly a labor of love!
I remember having some big trucks that was just about as easy as that to get the engine started.
Thank you for the very flattering compliment! I sincerely appreciate it!
7:40 a steam turbine powered accessory? I guarantee you that this locomotive is 100% EMP and Coronal Mass Ejection proof.
kimmer6 Where else do you think the locomotive gets the power to run its head and cab lights? Certainly not a battery.
kimmer6 Well said . Get a mini steam 🚂engine for on/ off tracks.
Will be a 💰💰💰money maker some day. Or a pre 83/85 🚚vehicle!
i knew that starting a steam engine up was complicated but i never knew that you had to do all this.
You should always check the water, even if you have filled it earlier as it may not be correct and you don't want to dry fire a boiler.
The detail of the steps is great, but please consider adding text labels throughout the video to help teach everyone what is going on.
If you did have to move the loco a reasonable distance you could pour some cylinder oil down the snifter valves which would drain down into the cylinders, but I personally wouldn't do this for more than ,say a few km's. If you were towing the loco for a long distance, you would either remove the connecting rods so the pistons and valves would not move at all or tow in steam so you can get the detroit lubricator to work.
The editing was done very well.
@toplinkengineman i always thought it was customary to check the boiler had water in it before light-up, other wise it would be like boiling an empty kettle
At 7:40 it sounded like the jet I fly starting up. Nice.
It's a turbo powered by steam turning a generator for lights
What is this rounded thingy he put to chimney....some kind of heater? Is it electric motor at 7:34?
Labor of love. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for some insight on igniting and steaming up a coal-fired locomotive. BTW, is sand needed to remove the wood residue from the tubes and flues, once the fire is on the coal? (The wood leaves creosote deposits on the tubes and flues during the first half-hour of the ignition process.)
👍Great video. The beast is ready.
Thank you, loved it.
A lot goes in to that train to start it up
Lovely video and locomotive. but I would like som explaning of all the procedures :-)