When the Berk or the diesel is not pulling on the train, how is power managed? The diesel I guess would be placed in neutral. But what about the steamer. There is no neutral setting on her.
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Dominic Mazoch posted:When the Berk or the diesel is not pulling on the train, how is power managed? The diesel I guess would be placed in neutral. But what about the steamer. There is no neutral serving on her.
WHAT????? Do you think every steam locomotive in the world is automatically always in FORWARD or REVERSE??? Of course there is a "NEUTRAL" on the reverse gear, which is called "centered".
Anyway, when being towed, backwards OR forwards, the power reversed is place all they way in REVERSE (or FORWARD, as the case ma be), and the throttle cracked open, in order to supply some amount of steam for valve and piston lubrication.
The valves and cylinders on the 765 are lubed with an atomized mist of valve oil in the steam. That means that if the loco is moving, the throttle is open, at least a little.
In a pull-pull move such as they are doing today on the Rocket, when the diesel is pulling the train, the steam throttle will be open just enough to drift the engine while working a little steam.
Seems as though they decided that 40mph was the maximum reverse speed now....
Yes, I suspect they didn't run 60 mph being towed! That would be a bit too fast.
