Welcome! Log In Create A New Profile

Advanced

What you pictured aren't necessarily balloon stacks.

August 12, 2019 09:58PM
What you pictured on 169 is more usually called a diamond smokestack. Historically that model contained the spark arresting cone and netting for coal-burning locomotives prior to the adoption of extended smokeboxes which contained the spark arresting equipment instead. That being said, the World's Fair and modern display items on 169 might well be dummy stacks placed just for show. As newly-built, some of the class 47 locomotives had diamond stacks, and others had extended smokeboxes with straight stacks (apparently the D&RG was experimenting during the 1880's). Later on, with the development (around 1900ish) and adoption of the master mechanic front end, the diamond stacks fell entirely by the wayside.

Balloon stacks--a generic term for several types of spark-arresting smokestack--typically have a much larger appearance and are more normally associated with wood burning, although some variants were for coal fuel as well. This generic term can include civil war-era bonnet stacks, radley & hunter stacks, stevens stacks, the South Park's nesmith stacks, and others of similarly large bulbous shape (they broadly resemble hot air balloons, hence the nickname). Note that these smokestacks can have quite different internal arrangements, but in most cases the lower portion of the funnel serves as a spark/cinder hopper, hence why it's so large. The holes for emptying the hopper are usually (but not always) visible in the lower sides near the base of such smokestacks. Technically these large spark arrestors in most cases fit over the smaller, actual smokestack but that mechanical distinction is largely unnecessary in normal discussion.
Subject Author Posted

Balloon stacks on DRGW 169 Attachments

guymonmd August 12, 2019 04:04PM

Re: Balloon stacks on DRGW 169

weston1879 August 12, 2019 06:25PM

What you pictured aren't necessarily balloon stacks.

James August 12, 2019 09:58PM

Re: What you pictured aren't necessarily balloon stacks.

guymonmd August 13, 2019 08:02AM

Re: What you pictured aren't necessarily balloon stacks.

nedsn3 August 13, 2019 09:37AM

Re: What you pictured aren't necessarily balloon stacks.

James August 13, 2019 09:47AM

Re: Balloon stacks on DRGW 169

Herb Kelsey August 13, 2019 04:02PM

Re: Balloon stacks on DRGW 169

TonyK375 August 13, 2019 05:55PM

Re: class 45½ and class 47

James August 14, 2019 01:34AM



Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login