Re: Tragedy At South Baker - They Would Rebuild

albspng Wrote:
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> I can't remember who, but what I was told, in the
> dark past, was that there was a belief that (with
> wood burning locos) having the front of the loco
> facing the turntable (especially with the roof of
> the round house or engine house sloping away from
> the turntable and smoke jack also in front)
> reduced the risk of fire.

I can see the advantage of rolling an engine partially out to place the stack outside the house for firing up could be helpful for potentially reducing smo,e inside the house.

John K Wrote:
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> I'd always assumed it was because ceiling
> clearance was not high enough in the back for the
> stack??

I guess. It's false economy, but then again the narrow gauge itself is usually false economy, so why not.

The Old Boomer Wrote:
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>
> Kelly, I can tell you that was not the case in
> Guatemala. as the roundhouses in Mazatenango,
> Escuintla, Guatemala City
> Zacapa and Puerto Barrios always had the
> locomotives facing in during the 6 times that I
> visited in the 70's.

Also with Rockhill Furnace. As Bill Moedinger said when asked why he took so few photos of the EBT, it didn't seem like narrow gauge, just miniature standard gauge.