Firelock76Possibly oil puts out more heat since it has to be atomized and sprayed making for more complete combustion
That was what I have always understood. The province of BC passed legislation requiring oil burners to reduce the forest fire problem, but once the CPR started using them they were never going back to coal, especially in mountain service.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Puffy, I can't give you a chemical analysis as to why oil puts out more BTU's than coal, I'm no chemist. I got my information from the late George Drury's "Guide to North American Steam", in which there's a discussion of steam locomotive fuels; wood, coal, oil. Drury said oil was the most efficient as far as heat output, his exact wording was "oil has more heat output per pound than coal", to say nothing of the ease of handling, and no ashes or cinders to deal with.
Possibly oil puts out more heat since it has to be atomized and sprayed making for more complete combustion? Maybe some of you chemists or engineers out there can shed a bit more light on this one.
As far as that coal smoke smell we're all going to miss, maybe UP can get together with JT's "Mega-Steam", the model railroad smoke fluid manufacturer. Just throw a gallon or two (or a hundred) of coal-scented "Mega-Steam" in the fuel oil and the problem's solved!
And if people get bored with "Coal Smoke" UP can try "Coffee", "Cinnimon Bun", "Bacon and Eggs", "Grandpa's Pipe Smoke", or maybe "Lionel Smoke Pellet"!
No need to re-invent the wheel...a two burner design does exist that could fulfill a 4000;s requirements courtesy of the late Espee which developed and licensed a sucessfull burner and jet system used on all of its late model steam but excelled on the AC's and 4400's, Santa Fe too employed the design with equal sucess.
Dave
Probably a duel burner set up, when 4005 was converted to test how well big boys would run on oil, one wasn't enough.
Of course, UP will most likely make one large custom burner for 4014.
garylaThis may not be news to any of you guys, but it was to me. I recently read that 4014 will be converted from burning coal to #5 oil. Some old literature I had about that Big Boy (and the other locomotives in the collection at Pomona) had suggested that the necessity of fuel conversion would be a deal-killer for ever putting 4014 back into operation. I'm glad that that was NOT the case. We can probably look forward to a story, eventually, about what all went into changing that part of the engine's workings.
Oil fueling's a lot easier. It's easier to refuel with a pump than a bucket loader, especially since more than likely all the coaling towers are gone, or at least gutted. And oil does put out more BTU's than coal does.
And if they have to they can burn diesel fuel. The CP did it with their showpiece steamer. It's oil fired as well and doesn't care what it burns.
Everyone's going to miss that coal smoke smell though, but hey, you can't have everything.
The way I understand it, UP was tired of fighting grass fires from all the sparks hitting the ground. (Diamond stacks somehow aren't an acceptable solution.) This wasn't a problem in regular service with the daily passing of steam.
Aaaaaaahhhh...... I see, the situation's reversed! Now they don't want to spend money building coaling stations! ha!
All four thousands were delivered as coal burners, 4005 was selected for conversion using a burner from a FEF, fuel consumption not performance doomed the project..
Apparently when the Big Boys were first put into service, UP took one and tried to convert it to oil. They didn't use enough burners, though, and could not produce enough heat for it to work, so all the big boys were ordered as coal burners.
Lucky thing they weren't oil burners! WWII fuel rations would have probably kept them from running!
This time around, however, UP will be using enough burners to make it work.
I kind of wish they were going to run 4014 as coal burner, though. Wonder why all their steamers are oil burners? (That's probably a stupid question.)
I don't think we'll be hearing much until her first steam tests a few years from now.
Anyone heard anything lately about restoration progress on the Big Boy at the Cheyenne Shop?
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