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Overmod <br /> <br />Thanks for the very informative reply on back pressure and MU'ing steam. I knew it wouldn't be easy and that someone probably tried it. Regarding drafting and front end design, it's my impression it was often a complex compromise that goes back to the particular fuel used and it's one thing that kept the mechanical departments busy tailoring steam locos to each road. Many of the USRA standard designs ended up as oil burners on the western roads. A telling example from the N.P. book I have is the Timken engine. At 30 mph it produced 3000 drawbar HP on the N.P. compared to 3800 as tested by Alco and some other roads that tried it. It sounds like the range of acceptable draft in the N.P. locos burning Rosebud coal was very narrow. An ideal fire is described as being almost a gaseous cloud. Too little draft would make the fire too cold and too much would pull it out the stack causing unacceptable errosion to the flues and a plugged up front end. Apparently the Q had similar problems with the Sheridan coal they used. I've sen that stuff on the current BNSF coal trains and it's pretty fine an powderey. <br /> <br />I don't share the negative view of the N&W or other eastern roads of another poster. The Eastern coal roads had to go to where the mines were, so sharp curves and stiff grades meant that track speed was a limiting factor. The western transcons were located to find the most advantageous routes. Their steepest most difficult grades were a very small portion of their operation and were often electrified(Milw, GN), dieselized(N.P.), or helper operations(Cajun). On the UP, the rulling grade at places like Sherman Hill was .82% and hauling perishables meant re-icing refers, livestock needed periodic unloading, and ATSF had the shorter route so speed became a major requirement leading to what were really fast freight locos rather than mountain maulers. The Rio Grande and the Missabee Iron Range were 2 western roads more comparable to the N&W and of course the Narrow Gauge roads were an extreme example of going to were the mines were.
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