1. On departing, open the cylinder drain pipes as mentioned in Chapter 02.08.

2. Open the regulator up to 70-75%.

3. Set the reverser at 70% according the direction you need to go and

   release your brakes by pressing [ ; ]. Decrease the blower rate using [ Shift ] – [ N ].

Do not inject water on departure !

You need your steam (chest) pressure right now in order to accelerate and gain speed.

Engine equipped with a super heater uses a pyrometer to read-out the steam temperature in the cylinder. The temperature can last up to 400 degrees Celsius. The pyrometer is the black meter with the half-moon white read-out scale just slightly to the right under the rooftop inside the German 18 201

Do not forget to release the hand brake as well when applied !

 

Press [ / ] to release the hand brake if applied.

Decrease the reverser rate in balance of picking up speed and check you main pressure gauge. Increase the blower.

Try to avoid the use of the HUD display and get familiar with the read-outs of the gauges. Practice this as much as possible!

When driving at about 10 Mph / 15 Kmh.
Close the cylinder drain pipes by pressing [ C ].

Reduce the regulator until about 60%, this is the most efficient position for a regular engine.
When running a tender engine, 30-35% will do fine.

Decrease the reverser accordingly:

1. Although you have to “feel” then you know when to reduce the reverser.

2. Check out the speedometer. When the meter stuck at a certain speed.

3. Reduce the reverser and the engine picks up speed again.

   Here you discover the working expansion of steam in the cylinders.

Engines has a lock-up lever connected to a nodge which locks up the reverser.

In most cases press [ E ] to lock / unlock the locker if applicable and/or working.

The use of the lock prevents the pistons to “creep” on their own resetting the reverser in opposite direction. In history some major accidents has been taken place due to the lack of locking the reverser. The forces on the pistons will have “feedback” in the reverser causes the bars and the pistons of the lever to adjust the position of the reverser. In the case of the disaster the pistons has moved the reverser in opposite direction causing the engine to run backwards causing a server disaster with many casualties.

Using sand;

On slippery rail/track use sand by pressing [ X ] and hold the sand for a while. 

When the train slips (skimming), cut off the regulator and slightly open up again until the train picks up traction.

Do not use sand when passing point and slips causing the moving parts to stuck by the amount of sand. 

You will need sand on climbing slopes, heavy trains avoiding slipping and loose of traction 

Reduce the blower rate in balance with the use of the exhaust, regulator and reverser.

Stoke the engine during acceleration and keep the fire between 75 – 80% !

On small tank engines like the J94 of 3F keep the fire between 60 – 70 % !

Do not stoke when stationary at public stations and platforms unless it is really necessary.

You will pay the laundry for the passengers near the engine.

The tiny coal dust and particles unable to be catched by the spark arrestor will exit the chimney and settling into the water condense,

The coal particles will come down with the condensed water as fine rain creating tiny black spots and dots on the clothes of the surrounded pedestrians.

During stoking, the temperature in the centre of the fire will increase during acceleration and run, the temperature then will last up to 1500 degrees Celsius which is even hotter than lava.

The colour of the fire is then bright white and hard to look at. The arc mounted at the back of the fire box will create a “tornado” like airflow mixing up all hot gases prior to their motion through the pipes and tubes.

Keep frequent stoking at about every 3-5 minutes depending the steam usage and pressure.
Watch the colour of the smoke coming out of the chimney. If the colour is light grey almost white, then start shovel. You need all your steam power to accelerate and hauling your train.

Keep an eye on the pressure gaue.

Keep also an eye at the water level.

The exhaust will act like a blower as well. Now the blower will act only as an adjustable blower.
The working of the blower has been taken over by the natural exhaust of the engine.
The exhaust works when fresh steam feed is decreased. The exhaust is the expansion of the steam at the moment the reverser rate is decreased. Due to that expansion the engine get the full result from the power of steam. Though the reverser and regulator has been cut off, the engine still picks up speed. This is the final result of expansion. To keep the speed you have to decrease the reverser even more. The motional pistons now “translate” this power onto the wheels into a circular movement causing the train to drive.

Do not inject water and stoking simultaneously in order to prevent malfunctions of the injector and the possibility of a blow back.

Unless extremely nessesary, use both to top up when the water level has dropped that much facing a dry crown plate of the fire box.

Keep in mind: Always avoid a dry crown plate !

The German 01 1516 boiler explosion at Bitterfeld in 1977. Driver and fireman were killed.

The fuse plug was covered up with calcium sediment. The low water level was still covering the crown plate. The stopping train resulted that the water moved to the front away from the crown plate. Because the fuse plug was covered up with calcium, the fuse plug was malfunctioning.
The boiler ripped open and depressurisation causes the water to turn into steam immediately. When the pressure is at 220 PSI / 16 Bar, the boiling point of the water is then at about 200 degrees Celsius.

Because the pressure dropped at once to normal conditions (about 20 PSI / 1 Bar) the boiling point of that water in that boiler is dropped with it to the common 100 degrees C. and turned into steam at once creating the major explosion.

A British Engine Boiler Explosion.

These are just some examples of boiler explosion. There has been more explosions in the past, mostly because of human failures or mechanical causes. In most cases driver and fireman lost their lives.