SP Steam Shops Film 1929

Thank Rusty for sharing the video of the cab foward  running.  I enjoyed it.

Rusty Traque posted:

Speed Graphic Film and Video finds the neatest things:

 

And not a hard hat or orange vest in sight...

Rusty

Thanks for posting! Its incredible the content and quality of all of the old videos they have.

What are we seeing there, break in runs? Or just some type of promotional run?

RickO posted:

Rusty Traque posted:

Speed Graphic Film and Video finds the neatest things:

 

And not a hard hat or orange vest in sight...

Rusty

Thanks for posting! Its incredible the content and quality of all of the old videos they have.

What are we seeing there, break in runs?

I believe that is the case with that 4-10-2 3-cylinder locomotive, as it would have been pretty new in 1929.

Or just some type of promotional run?

That would be my guess, with the multiple locomotives making passes.

Fascinating! Thank you.

During the third run-by, the engine on the right at one point goes from a 'clear' stack to emitting heavy coal smoke for a few moments. Just what is happening to cause that? What changes?

PRR Man posted:

Fascinating! Thank you.

During the third run-by, the engine on the right at one point goes from a 'clear' stack to emitting heavy coal smoke for a few moments. Just what is happening to cause that? What changes?

That is NOT "coal smoke", as the SP steam locomotives in that scene were all oil burners. Thus, somebody may have wanted a LOT more smoke, or maybe the Fireman wasn't paying attention to what the Engineer was doing with the throttle & power reverse setting.

 

Sanding the flues?

Thanks Jack. Forgot all about their being oil burners.

So an abrupt change in throttle causes the engine to labor and smoke?

PRR Man posted:

Thanks Jack. Forgot all about their being oil burners.

So an abrupt change in throttle causes the engine to labor and smoke?

Not "labor", but if the Engineer doesn't indicate to his Fireman when the throttle is going be be reduced, then there is LOTS of smoke, until the Fireman backs off on his firing valve. When operating over your familiar territory, the Fireman pretty well knows what to expect next.

PRR Man posted:

Thanks Jack. Forgot all about their being oil burners.

So an abrupt change in throttle causes the engine to labor and smoke?

Ideally, the fireman's actions mirror the engineer's. Considerate engineers will give the fireman a heads-up about what he's about to do when it comes to opening or closing the throttle. As Jack notes, however,  good fireman will know the profile of the route in their head, and be able to accurately predict what the engineer will be doing (i.e., if I know when the next uphill grade starts, I can be ready to open the atomizer/oil as soon as the engineer pulls out the throttle). He can also hear the  changes (sometimes slight) in the sound/intensity of the exhaust that happens with throttle or valve cutoff changes.

As far as smoke, remember the fire is matched to the intensity of the engine's workload. If my engineer closes the throttle on a hard-working engine, and I didn't know that was about to happen (new fireman, no communication between crew, etc.), then there's a whole lotta oil being poured into the firebox of a now-drifting engine, basically killing the draft and allowing all that un-burnt fuel to go up the stack as thick, black smoke.