Fireless steam engine

[Eriediamond]

Has anyone ever modeled a fireless locomotive?

[Anonymous]

Hadn't heard of them before now but came across this photo...


For yard use, she carried a tank of steam but no boiler. She could run all day on one charge, which was administered through a valve located over the wheels.

[lupo]

Fireless steam engines were often used as switchers in places where open fire and electricity sparks cause fire hazards e.g. at chemical plants and oil refineries
or at energy plants were lots of steam is available at low costs
Also used in small factories fed from the boiler for factory use and not too much switching going on
our bavarian friends make one in HO:



http://www.marklin.com/newprod/2001/ho_02.html

[Eriediamond]

Hey lupo (southern for hello), and snake, thanks for the pics and info. First time I've seen a model of one. The Spencer shops here in N. C. have one they are restoring or plan to restore. I had just never seen one modeled before. Would be an interesting model for a steam era industry that used steam for their factory power.

[Anonymous]

I saw an article with scale drawings for Ohio Power Co. fireless 0-4-0 #2 in April 1981 MR.

[lupo]

hey eriediamond,
I found another link for you with prototype info about an small engine in a museum nearby:
http://www.stoomstichting.nl/text_gb/index_collectie.html
it should be in english !

[Anonymous]

How does it make steam if there's no coal, wood, or oil to burn???

[Anonymous]

It doesn't make steam. It is supplied from a stationary powerhouse who inject steam into a large tank that is mounted where the boiler would be on a normal steam engine. They were only used in a shunt mode close to the steam supplier.

[Jetrock]

The tank on a fireless switcher was a bit like a giant Thermos--think of them kind of like those little mini remote control cars, that charge via a small capaciator/battery from a central power source. Instead of storing the power as an electric charge, fireless engines store the power as thermal energy in the form of super-hot steam. When power gets low it must be hooked back up to the power source (typically a steam-generating power plant.)

Supposedly these engines were used until the late 1960's in the US--I have an old issue of RAILROAD MAGAZINE that describes their use, although it was already pretty unusual, but was a helpful safety precaution at an explosives plant where sparks or stray soot could be disastrous...

[Anonymous]

There are still some fireless locomotives being used today. The one really big advantage of fireless locomotives is that they use no fuel and so are very cheap to run. Some were even built as late as the 1980's. Here's a link which shows some that are operating in Germany: http://mysite.freeserve.com/dingleyspages/travel_reports/germany2002/germany.htm
Also, in recent years there has been some fireless locomotives as well as other steamers working in Eastern Europe, which may still be in operation. See http://www.steam.demon.co.uk/trains/serbia1.htm
Before the collapse of sugar prices and steam in Cuba in 2002 there were some fireless locomotives workng there as well.
There's also still some steam engines working the sugar mills in Java, which includes fireless. http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/javatour/trains/fireless.htm

[Eriediamond]

Thanks lupo and all for your responses.

[Supermicha]

This steamless switchers were very common in germany. some of them are also in use today here, mostly in power plants where a lot of steam is available. the boiler was filled a half with hot water (more than 100 degrees celsius) under high pressure. the other half was hot steam. when the engine moved and the steam becomes lesser, the hot pressurized water distended, cooled of and become steam. by this, you could use the engine longer before refilling. the engines were very clean, cheap in use and quiet. and they could be operated by one person, a big advantage to save money.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. Steamtown in Pennsilvania has one

[CNJ831]

At least one "fireless cooker" was offered in HO brass about 20 years ago. I don't recall the manufacturer however. Can't say I remember ever seeing a scratchbuilt (American) version appear in MR over the years either.

CNJ831