Flaming Locos

[GP-9_Man11786]

While railfanning a few weeks ago, I saw a CSX C40-8 shpot a big plume of black smoke followed by a tower of flames about 4 feet high. They were gone as quickly as they came. Why would a diesle locomotive shoot flames out its exhaust?

[TomDiehl]

Running too "rich." That black smoke was unburned diesel fuel mixed into the regular exhaust smoke, and the flames were when it ignited.

Sometimes, an older diesel will do this when it starts up.

[BaltACD]

Locomotives that have been idling for a while and that may have injectors that are slightly rich, will build up an amount of carbon in the exhaust system as the the exhaust velocity and temperature at idle are both relatively low. Once the engiines are brought off idle and placed under maximum loads both the exhaust velocity and temperature rise to a great degree,,,,to a sufficient degree that the carbon becomes incendary and can ignate any extra fuel that is in the exhaust into flame. Usually this only occurs for a short time until the full exhaust system gets up to normal operating temperature and all the residual carbon and fuel have burned off. A similar phenomena can be seen on some racing cars when the let off the throttle entering turns and uncombusted fuel is launched through the exhaust system in flames.

[Tim Burton]

They were gay Locos? I thought trains were too dirty and masculine for homosexuals.[%-)]


[:D]

[adrianspeeder]

Go away noob...

To GP-9 man, search for diesel engine + carbon + fire and you will get some very good and detailed postings from before.

Adrianspeeder

[Randy Stahl]

One of the hardest choices I have to make is while load testing a locomotive; do I stop the test, or watch the show?
baltacd is pretty much right. defective parts also cause exhaust flames, like a bad injector, turbo, airbox carbon, many reasons. It is usually a good indication that the engine needs to be shopped.
Randy

[Tim Burton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

Go away noob...

To GP-9 man, search for diesel engine + carbon + fire and you will get some very good and detailed postings from before.

Adrianspeeder

Learn to have some humor.

And I ain't a noob. I have been reading these forums for a long time. I just don't post much.