Re: How to be a good fireman?

The most important thing on a steam locomotive is WATER....LOTS OF IT.
Having the correct water level in the boiler keeps alive (on the low end of the scale) and keeps the engineer from getting pissed off (on the high end of the scale).
Knowing where the water level is supposed to be in the boiler at any particular point on the RR takes nothing but practice and knowledge. For a new fireman having a good engineer who knows is essential.
You can always get steam back with a few (lots?) scoops of well placed coal. Getting low water up takes a whole lot more work and time. These locomotives tread a delicate balance of making steam to not only feed the cylinders but also heat the incoming feedwater. The water should be fed at a rate that matches it's consumption. If you are low on water and trying to catch up, it takes a bunch of extra coal to keep the balance.
A few years ago I did a two part article on firing and running for the FOCTS Dispatch. Somewhere I have the manuscript for it. I'll do some digging.
Running a steam locomotive is truly a team effort. The fireman makes the energy, the engineer uses it. It is a real buzz to get in off a heavy train having made it with lots of steam and water.