steam plumbing

[Bill_Gardei]

Friends:

Does anyone have or can anyone sketch out
a schematic diagram of the steam plumbing
for a locomotive? How do things like the sight
glass, the pressure gauge, the throttle, the
whistle, the brakes, the draft, etc connect to
the boiler? Or, alternatively, does anyone know
of a good publication that details this type of
information?

Thanks. -- Bill

[Rolly]

Bill
Two books that will help you and you will refer back to often are
MODEL BOILERS & BOILERMAKING by K.N. Harris
MODEL STATIONARY AND MARINE STEAM ENGINES by K.N. Harris
You can order them from (Wise Owl Worldwide Publications)
There web site is.
http://www.wiseowlmagazines.com/MEbooks.html
Rolly

[UnkaJesse]

Bill, the blower (draft) and brakes usually get their steam from a steam manifold at the top of the boiler. The sight glass piping attaches at the extreme top of the boiler (or very close to it) and then down well below low water level. (Mine attaches clear down just above the mud ring on one lokie) . The whistle and in most cases, throttle get their steam from the steam dome as do the two safety valves.

Cold up there?? It is here for sure!

Unka Jesse

[locoparts]

Bill
I am assuming you want to know how to plumb a locomotive. When I did my first mogul the best source I found, and it still holds true today, is the article in Live Steam magazine of the Fitchberg Northern. The particular issue is near the end of the series, and has pictures and rationale for where everything is, plus a wire diagram of the plumbing arrgt.

My personal preference is to locate the return for the gauge glass to a tee in the top of the boiler, forward of the manifold, and the other side of the tee has the gauge glass. Then forward of that is a special fitting I make with two outlets that connect to the 2 brake valves. This leaves the manifold to handle the whistle, blower, steam pump, and injector(s).
The throttle goes thru the backhead and then to the steam dome to the throttle valve..

don orr
www.locoparts.net

[C_Wilkes]

Steam Plumbing Diagram is here:

Steam Diagram

There might be one in Nelson's Book.

[Bill_Gardei]

Rolly:

I did order the first book (today). I wanted that one
anyway, but didn't know if it had any schematics for
the entire steam system.

I found your website most interesting because I am
considering watertube (vs firetube) construction. But
you won't be able to tell from the outside. Also, your
water-cooled grate is clever, but in reality, the grate
is and extension of the boiler. And why not.

And Jesse: It's 4.4 degrees F (actual).

Bill

[RossB]

A terrific feature to include is a dry pipe inside the boiler supplying the turret (manifold) from the dome. Don't get those surges of water out the blower and you can run the injectors till it's coming out the safeties!

[Rolly]

Bill Off this subject. (My water cooled grate.)
The fire box (combustion chamber) is where 90% of the work is done. This is the area that has the largest differential of temperature, between the source of heat and the water. The problem is in the design. You need to design a boiler with natural circulation in mind, unless you go to one of the forced circulation boiler types such as the high output Lamont.
Rolly

[willy]

This being said you need to keep in mind, the bottom of your water glass should not be lower than the top of the crown sheet of your firebox on a horizontal boiler. Otherwise we may be reading about another Medina disaster (may they rest in peace).

-willy-

[Bill_Gardei]

Rolly:

I agree completely. But your water cooled grate is
not off the topic of steam plumbing, since it is
part of the convection loop.

Thanks again for your help.

Bill

[Fred_V]

Bill, one thing i reccomend that doesn't show up on most diagrams is a ball valve between the boiler and the manifold. if you have a problem with any of the valves on the manifold, which you will, you can shut off the steam, make the repair and get going again without having to drop the fire.
fred

[Rolly]

Fred
If you go by Code except for the safety valve. The first fitting any where off the boiler is always a valve with an extra heavy nipple. That means no Tees or elbows before the valve.
Rolly