Hot Water posted:Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:I think that the term auto-stoker was in the promotional NYC film from the 1930's I saw on YouTube.
Must admit that in all my years learning & working with steam locomotives, I have never heard the term "auto-stoker". However, I have seen & heard lots of "railfans" refer to an "automatic stoker", which of course they are NOT.
Of course the fireman is in control, jetting the cool with the air pushing it where it is needed in the firebox.
Assuming you mean "jetting the coal" and NOT "cool", the process is done with high pressure steam jets, i.e. NOT air. The Fireman has control of the individual steam jets (usually at least 5), in order to "blow" the crushed coal, delivered by the stoker mechanism, to the various locations within the firebox, thus distributing the coal throughout the surface of the firebed.
I think in the video they say that it would be too hard to shovel the coal for these passenger trains(referring to the Hudson) in the video.
True, but the Federal Government passed a law stating, that all steam locomotives over a certain square foot grate area, HAD to be equipped with a stoker.
Yes, I did mean coal, **** typo on the phone. Auto and automatic, just shortened it.
