michael Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quote from the description of the YouTube video
:
>
> "
. . . The wheel slip drafted the firebox so hard that
> it sucked the fire out of the firebox, the fireman then
> filled the firebox with oil & oxygen/air and used
> the super-heated brick arch to re-ignite the fire.
> Notice the white gases trailing after the engine
> under the cab and coming from the stack just
> before the fireball . . . "
IanLK Wrote:
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> Holy @#$%&. Is this a problem with the locomo-
> tive or fireman procedure or both? K-36s can be
> expected to slip. If the draft puts the fire out every
> time {there's a slip} that's gonna be a problem
. . .
Holy @#$%&! is right, Ian -
IIRC, a member of the U.P. steam team running
#3985 #8444 was SERIOUSLY burned several years ago when a similar flashback occurred AND the firedoor happened to be open at the same time AND he was wearing a polyester jumpsuit
or some other non-fire-resistant clothing at the time. Like incidents described recently on the "Safety" thread, it was a combination of little things that led to a major problem.
My own experience firing an oil-burning steamer is VERY limited,* but from what I understand from others it's not too uncommon to depend on the heat of the firebrick to re-ignite a fire once the fuel / air mixture is rich enough. It seems to me that it would be a LOT safer to turn off the firing valve and toss a lighted fuseé or burning rag into the firebox BEFORE turning the fuel valve back on so that the fire re-ignites prior to a potentially explosive build-up up of fuel not just in but all around the firebox. There might be a small loss of steam pressure and hence speed during the delay – especially on the 4% grade working eastbound between Chama & Cumbres where wheel slips are most likely to occur – but IMHO this is a small price to pay for insuring the safety of the engine crew.
-
Russ Sperry
* See [
ngdiscussion.net].
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/2021 12:40PM by Russo Loco.
