Re: Rolling Locomotives

SP,
Many times, on a long deadhead, the locomotive was fired up and the steam used to cushion the cylinders and to provide lubrication for them. If the locomotive was dead, or in the 9 or 74's case, had set idle for a long period of time, there were two safe options.
1. Remove the cylinder head and clean out any accumulated dirt. When clean, put a nice thick coat of grease around the inside perimeter of the cylinder to allow the piston to slide without scoring the cylinder. If the locomotive had mechanical lubricators, then this method was fine, as lubrication would be supplied to all of the necessary moving parts. With hydrostatic lubricators, inspection is necessary much more often in a dead move.
2. The preferred method used was to remove the main rod and move the locomotive like a freight car. The drawback to this method is that the main rod is the heaviest rod to move. This also leaves a bearing surface exposed to the elements on the main driver. If it were up to me to move the 9 or the 74, this is the method that I would use to insure the least amount of damage to the cylinders, especially after sitting as long as they have.
Moving a Steam Locomotive dead is never a good idea over long distances due to the lack of lubrication on critical parts.
Rick