C.P.Huntington Wrote:
=======================================================
> Earl:
>
> Thanks for posting the interesting photos and
> story. I have a few questions:
>
> 1) What happens to the cinders after they have hit
> the deflector cone and/or screen? Do they
> fall between the inner and outer pipe and collect
> in the bottom of the smokebox?
They seem to fill in the space between the inner and outer pipes. The rest of them seem to bounce around inside until the get beat up small enough to escape through the screen.
>
> 2) How are the cinders removed from the smokebox?
> Do you have to open the smokebox door and
> shovel them out or is there a trap door at the
> bottom of the smokebox?
Some engines have a cleanout in the bottom of the smokebox. In the case of WM#6, the cinders are scooped out through the door.
>
> 3) How often do the cinders need to be removed
> from the smokebox? I imagine that this would
> depend on the quality of the coal you are burning.
>
The smokebox gets cleaned every boiler wash.
>
> 4) How does this compare to the Cumbres & Toltec ?
> Did the smokeboxes of the K's need cleaning
> as often as the Shays on the Cass?
The 480's and 490's have cyclone front ends that are more or less self-cleaning. They don't have any netting to trap the cinders, and the circular action of the gases in the smokebox breaks the cinders up and shoots them up the stack. Usually the only time the front ends are opened up is during annual inspection. K27's ands K28's use Master Mechanic front ends and need monthly cleaning out.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2015 11:12AM by Earl.