Big Boy oil consumption

Green Bay & Western posted:

If this has already been discussed, I apologize. I thought it was interesting that when the Big Boy got to St. Paul, Ed Dickens said in a TV interview that they burn 20 gallons of oil and 200 gallons of water per mile. In the Pentrex DVD that came out years ago, Steve Lee said the 3985 was burning 60 gallons of oil per mile. 

If my memory serves, I believe Steve Lee was referring to the trip when Challenger 3985 was pulling that huge APL stack train from Cheyenne, over Archer Hill, and on to North Platte, NE. The Challenger was worked pretty much full throttle in order to maintain track speed with a very long train.

The 4014 really isn't having to haul much of a train, and also not at higher speeds, thus the fuel oil and water consumption is much, MUCH lower.

Thanks for the info Hot Water. 

Just going to jump on this thread, what kind of oil are they burning on the big boy? Are they using the bunker-c crude that ships use, or are they using diesel fuel or some close cousin?

bigkid posted:

Just going to jump on this thread, what kind of oil are they burning on the big boy? Are they using the bunker-c crude that ships use,

No. That crap is way too difficult to handle, and burns VERY dirty.

or are they using diesel fuel or some close cousin?

Most oil burning main line steam locomotives now use reprocessed waste oil. Also, if cost is no factor, and it might not be a factor for this tour with 4014, then #5 burner oil is VERY good.

Here are some actual figures for coal and water usage for 4000 class engines with full tonnage trains in the service they were built for, namely Ogden, UT to Green River, WY.

The following data is an average from three tests conducted with locomotives 4014, 4016 and 4004 on April 2 and 3, 1943. Ogden to Echo: average coal usage/hour 19,088 lbs (9.54 tons), average water usage/hour (including condensate returned from the exhaust steam injector) 83,178 lbs (9,967 US gallons). Echo to Evanston: average coal usage/hour 17,915 lbs (8.96 tons), average water usage/hour (including condensate returned from the exhaust steam injector) 80,586 lbs (9,646 US gallons).

These figures will never be attained in present excursion service. Only if she gets the chance to handle a full tonnage freight like 3985 did, will her voracious appetite become apparent.

Coal from UP owned mines in the Hanna and Rock Springs areas averaged 11,300 BTU/lb. # 5 fuel oil has about 19040 BTU/lb. A 4000 class would have to burn 21960 lbs (2,815 US gallons) per hour of Number 5 oil to release the same number of BTU in the firebox. The three tests averaged 66,883 lbs (33.4 tons) of coal and 443,928 lbs (53,198 US Gallons) of water for the 74.8 miles between Ogden and Evanston. The equivalent fuel usage in Number 5 oil for the run would be 5089 US gallons or 68 Gallons per mile.

Source for the 1943 figures: "Big Boy" by William W. Kratville.

PS: Water weighs 8.345 lbs per US gallon. # 5 Fuel oil weighs 7.8 lbs per US gallon.

So the calfs behind Big Boy, are they both for Big Boy?

balidas posted:

So the calfs behind Big Boy, are they both for Big Boy?

I'll bite. What are calfs [sic]?

Not that Hot Water needs seconding - but I heard one of the folks with the train at Altoona say they use waste/recycled oil for fuel.

David

It did say in the interview that they are burning waste oil. I believe they have a contract with Wayne Transports out or Rosemount Minnesota for the oil. 

Nick Chillianis posted:

balidas posted:

So the calfs behind Big Boy, are they both for Big Boy?

I'll bite. What are calfs [sic]?

The 2 auxiliary cars behind Big Boy's tender. Somebody who knows more then I on these things learned me that. 

balidas posted:

Nick Chillianis posted:

balidas posted:

So the calfs behind Big Boy, are they both for Big Boy?

I'll bite. What are calfs [sic]?

The 2 auxiliary cars behind Big Boy's tender. Somebody who knows more then I on these things learned me that. 

The aux tenders are not calves.  Calves are cabless switch locomotives.  From Trains magazine:

"A calf is usually considered to be a cabless switcher, sometimes semi-permanently attached with a drawbar, sometimes a standard coupler. They are known as cow and calves and usually carry a different designation. "

Wikipedia will tell you the same thing.  Having been around a lot of railroaders I have never heard calf used for anything else.