I was watching the C&O 1309 video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_un4-kgdFs&feature=youtu.be
I was intrigued by watching the valve action/eccentrics. Those mechanical engineers of the early/mid 20 century were real wizards with slide rules. It is amazing that they designed an eccentric
crank to move the rod to the valve and that also allows the locomotive engineer the ability to adjust the valve depending on his needs, such as running at a higher speed.
I think that is one of the things that attract people to steam locomotives, watching all those rods and wheels rolling along. And all that smoke, (sometimes ) and steam blowing out various ports!
Pretty amazing to me, I never have ridden in a live steam locomotive cab and know little about them, but have been behind the throttle of thousands of diesels,
The skills need to get a train over the road may be pretty much the same, but the skill of a steam locomotive engineer to get all he can out of a steam locomotive is way above the need to operate a diesel locomotive. They either pull or don't, (today it's computer issues, call the help desk!) (Early diesel, like F's and GP7 or 9s, had relays you could shove a stick into to keep them loading or keep cooling fans running)
It's also, to me, odd that any discussion on a "new" stem locomotive is based on using an existing steam locomotive. I would guess that is because there are not many high pressure boilers mounted on wheels. Seems they just add new systems/fuels to boil the water.
Kind of rambling on here, but still a neat video.
Dan
