I was just about to say "But what about her binky?" when you realized you'd forgotten it. I have to say, the girls needing binkies to sleep is rather adorable. They deserve all the love and pets.
For a big firebox it makes a lot more sense to bank. We used to bank 491 and she reliably did pretty well but the keyholes didn't like it for whatever reason.
@@Hyce777 Learned something. I was only thinking size mattered. Firebox age, shape, rivets probably, too. Being hotter than the sun 24/7 makes an old lady cranky.
The choo choo is very tired, she is eepy. The choo choo has had a very long day of entertaining foamers and wants to take just a smol sleeb. She eeby and neebies to sleeby. Choo choo sleepy and need bed-bye time.
For some reason I figured dropping the fire would be part of it, but I guess it makes sense that you'd let it stay there to make pressure and just die out naturally. And there's nothing wrong with a little stitiousness as long as it leads to being kinder to your stuff.
Awwwwwwww that cute. You really gotta make sure she's all good and warm and happy before the Choo-Choo sleeps for the night. And apply the oil and grease in case the lazy day crew doesn't do it.
It's always interesting to see just how similar other railroaders' workflows are. Despite being so very different in size, operations and geography. I follow almost the exact same procedures on my little doot, the Lady and S549 here in The Upside Down. Except with slightly more digging around in the ashpan (and the little doot's smokebox) before pulling into the shed and that handbrake going on for the last time this shift.
What handbrakes? Lol. Also 20 slings literally everything that could possibly be in the smokebox out her stack so that makes sense. Neat to know the comparison is so similar otherwise.
I used to run an oil-fired light Pacific in South Florida, and we didn't have water that cold in the tender! Shutting down was pretty straight forward: Pull the wedge that keeps the tender's oil valve open, and let the oil in the line burn out. Shut off the firing valve, and use the blowback to use steam to blow any residual oil in the line back into the tender. Shut off the appliances. And just let the injector run continuously until the sight glass is about 7/8 full. When you're done injecting, take tender oil and water level readings and calculate the day's water/oil consumption ratio. Use the longirontoolIcan'trememberthenameof to break up any clinkers in the firebox. Close the turret valve, make sure a driver or two is chocked, make sure the house cocks on the cylinders are open, and you're done.
One thing I've always wondered about steam locomotives is, if we never switched to diesel or electric, would steam technology ever get to the point where the fire-person's job is automated (like in train simulators). We're talking sensors to monitor the pressure, fuel and water levels are automatically add fuel and water based on the throttle position. Would steam technology ever get to the point where you could automate double-heading? Would remote-controlled steam locomotives ever be invented? Would they ever be given digital gauges? Etc.
Probably. They already invented stokers that just feed the coal in automatically, though you might see the fireman still being there just to be a human failsafe and another pair of eyes on the other side of the cab. As for if RC MU'd steam locomotives would exist, they already do in live-steam, which is real steam just small and could theoretically be scaled back up perfectly fine.
A steam locomotive that sleeps well has a binky. When he said I forgot the most crucial step I didn't think Putting a binky with a locomotive would be it but it is and it is super cute
The video looks amazing, showing the cab of the steam locomotive, shoving the coal to the fire box, it was perfect, i love it, keep up the great work, mate, i subbed your channel, Greetings from Portugal to the USA.
The engine having a binky is so cute. I feel like everyone working with machinery in preservation/machinery that's got just a little more "personality" than usual does something like that (or at least should do something like that) I always kiss my machine tools good night when I leave the shop.
I've been a fan of steam locomotives for most my life and you've helped me learn so much in depth knowledge about these amazing machines. There are parts of me that wish I could do that for a living, but I don't think I could manage all those intricate details required for a successful run, but a man can have dreams
Totally unrelated question because I’m genuinely curious. I’ve been watching SteR and Kerbo play the early access for Railroader and was wondering if you were going to play it eventually? They seemed to be really enjoying it and your commentary while playing it would be hilarious
Basically yes, VSM Beekbergen leaves their engines (large German steam locomotives) hot overnight for the Terug naar Toen event. Which basically means that they are fired up on Friday and are extinguished on Sunday evening / Monday morning
There's way more valves to be closed than I thought! On a different note, its time for a caboose race in Derail Valley. The grade from the wye out of CM, through the corkscrew, all the way to OWN is almost all downhill. (tested, its doable)
No more coal in hole, when no longer hot, drain boiler? Add lube while it's still a little hot so it sticks for when you're starting it back up? Make sure you're leaving it in the right spot?
Every time I see one of your wonderful videos I get a greater appreciation of the amount of brain power required to safely and efficiently operate a steam locomotive, especially one fired with coal. Definitely not a job for someone with “-a mind that’s weak and a back that’s strong”, to paraphrase Tennessee Ernie Ford.
When you are in the Station you can have the firebox door open to keep the steam train from popping off and the next time that you are at East Broad Top railroad you can ask the engineer all different kinds of questions and you can learn from different railroads. Next year in October the fall reunion is different than this year
You should come see the Pere Marquette 1225 one day during the Christmas season over here in Michigan. You probably already know, but its the train that the Polar Express (both book and movie) based its looks off. I saw it this year after it got a major rebuild on its 70 year old running gear. They do a North pole express ride and the tickets sell out fast. I think they also take it out to other events during the year as well
Its quite some steps to do and you surely dont wanna miss any of them. So do you guys use a checklist to make sure, everything is done properly or is it just done by heart.. In aviation we have checklists , e.g. for shutting down the plane and for a lot of other important steps
I enjoy your videos so much. My husband was a signalman/maintainer for many years for PennCentral and then Conrail. We dealt with no steam engines of course but I love rr history as well as newer technology. The knuckles have me cringe always because of a fatal untimely hookup. Enjoy the ride and God bless.
I've seen homesteaders made these massive wood pulp-charcoal-coffee ground briquettes. (bricks about the size of two gallon jugs put together though) iirc they'd go for 500f for 6-8 hours on end. that's probably weaksauce for pressure but I thought I'd put it out there, since they burn so long.
That was good. Thanks for taking the time to show the night-night routine. (I noticed 491 also has a binky. Is there some other superstition behind that? Or just engine PTSD comfort object? Haha)
@@Hyce777 That makes sense. (And at least there’s just enough blankey to keep the turret warm if anyone ever decides to bury themselves in a snowy pass…or sleep one off in a ditch 🤣)
Not a steam locomotive boiler, but at night at my grandma's house, we would put a small amount of coal on the fire and the a few scoops of ash in the center of the fire to bank it. 40 years ago, when I was firing at the IRM I asked about banking and I did not get a yay or nay answer only that banking with ash was to keep the fire burning slow and even.
Hi Mark, trust famous #20 had a wonderful sleepy time cuddled up with her Binky. 🤣 A hilarious ending to yet another ultra fab tutorial! I hadn’t thought much about the procedure of putting choo choo to bed for the night, just enough so that the next crew can take over for the next run. Your video beautifully explains this. Thank you Professor for another valuable learning experience. Your 101 classes are A+! Cheers to you and happy Polar Express!
What are special considerations for putting train to bed in winter if 20 below temp, and locomotive being put away long-term ? ( or fire/boiler being restarted dry from way below freezing ) This video describes situation where engine is going to be fired-up next morning, and never gets 100% cold, so you leave boiler water full, ready for the next morning. Much different procedure than being freezing cold for a week or more, when every pipe and part of machinery, boiler, tender etc must be drained to keep water from freezing, expanding, and breaking things. Train crews would have to deal with these conditions in 1930s with really cold temps, and locos that are stored weeks or need maintenance mid winter then go back in service. It gets really cold in Colorado, Chicago, Wyoming, or Canada. A century ago, many would probably be kept semi-warm all winter, never allowed to freeze up or go more than 8hrs without being re-fired... but as fireman on a steam loco, I would think you also need to know how to keep one from freezing up, and how to get one warmed up safely in freezing conditions when entirely cold & dry. I understand Your group is mostly a museum, catering to tourist/public... and so you are just "closed" when temps are bitter cold... Some of these questions/issues relate more to steam operations back in the "golden age of steam" when they would runn all through winter. Still, I know YOU do enjoy knowing the detail history of steam locomotives (and their operation) so I thought you could be a good person to ask. 1) If shutting down for winter... boilers could freeze, pumps, water towers, reserve tanks, pipes, etc. What are all the special steps to protect equipment... but still have things prepped and ready for use and re-firing later? 2) Where would you start if temp is 20 below, and EvErYtHiNG is frozen? Water towers freeze, boilers would freeze, fires are out, and you can't even add water back to super-cold pipes and machinery, or it could freeze within 60 seconds of being put in cold steel/brass... breaking just because not restarted correctly. 3) Are there large underground water tanks for rail yards in cold climates? ...to keep unfrozen water below frost line, and using pumps to pull it up? Did some rail yards have large reservoir ponds nearby, where pond can freeze over 8" in winter, but still gravity flow underground to supply water for trains? 4) Do train sheds have preheater boilers that are fired up to preheat 200gal of water, so it can circulate hot water or steam in/out/through parts of a frozen locomotive... bringing it up from -20F to 40F fast enough so pipes don't flash freeze, and break? 5) When way below freezing, do you start a fire in locomotive with boiler Dry, and pre warm boiler to certain temp before adding water? 6) Even after main boiler is warmed up, other parts/pipes on loco can still be too cold, like air pumps, dynamo, brake cylinders, main cylinders, reverser control, etc... What is the Order of Steps to get these to operating temp? 7) After ONE locomotive was fired with decent head of steam, was there a capability to use steam from hot boiler to preheat other engine boilers ? (pipes/hoses allowing steam engine equivalent of a jump start) ...or would every engine need to be cold/dry fired seperately? 8) When main line freight & passenger steam needed to run mid winter... I think there was a steam line that kept water tank in tender from freezing up. Did that line just condense all steam back to water and bubble up through tender's tank, instead of circulating back to boiler? (and you would have to run boiler injector extra, to replace steam/water used to keep tender warm) 9) Did locomotive also have steam line going back to passenger cars for steam heat? ...or did passenger cars each have their own oil/coal fired heat? Even modern diesel electric locomotives have special winter procedures, and most do Not even use antifreeze in their engines... onboard controlls just restart the diesel every so often to maintain operating temp & keep from freezing up. If something goes wrong or they run out of fuel, automatic valves dump all water out on the ground before it freezes hard. What other considerations are there for cold winter operations that I did not think to ask??
Would you be able to show us a piece of coal burning by itself just like on a shovel or off to the side. I think it would be kinda cool to actually see how something that is hard like a rock burns.
Laughed at the "let's pretend it's dark and snowy", on a video that is about the "real" Polar Express. nice video, no idea why I find these so interesting, but I do. thanks.
Wow cannot believe I was there a couple times back in like 2000 some time it seems like only yesterday that I visited the Colorado Rail Road Museum. The vacations I went to see all the different Colorado places out of all of them I always loved stopping by the Museum I still have my mug all be it faded now. And it was so fun to see inside the mail car when I went or just see massive locomotives some seemed to be mountains of steel too. If I ever come back to Colorado will certainly drop by it is my fav spot after all. :)
I was a bit baffled by the binkie talk and the pictures of it being on the front, so at first I thought it was a language barrier problem or something you hadn't explained about the steam locomotives. Nice to know it was just some stitiousness, and not superstition :D
20's got exactly the right picturesque look to pull the Polar Express. Let's be honest for a moment: As cool as the Big Uns may be, the picture a kid will hand you if you ask it to draw a steam locomotive is the shape of the small ones.
There's a podcast I was listening to earlier where they literally mentioned The Poler Express as the money printer that keeps a lot of passenger cars out of the scrapper. XD WTYP episode 143 if you're curious.
It's nice to see 20 running and the differences between her and 491. ^^ I have a question though. How do you ensure that an unattended train can't go anywhere by herself? Is it just brakes, or something else? Like the wedges under car tires when it's being worked on, on the ground.
*Need* is subjective, and most steam operators will argue one way or the other. Me as an audio engineer, I always wear it or have them at the ready for when the train is doing things. Cab before airbrakes, whistle, safety valve, etc is 85 dB which is plenty...
Yep shutdown and disposal is so much the same . Getting it right means you get home at a reasonable time. Get it wrong I.E not enough steam to work the injector to fill the boiler Arr. It meant building the fire to raise pressure then fill the boiler. Getting home was very late. But do it right and she will last all night, dont and in the morning it’s a struggle to get her ready for service in time…. Do not ask how I know……. I have done both…. Battle to get home. AND battle to get her ready in the “Normal time”
Our little railroad here used to bank the firebox for the Heisler. I don't know if they still do it as there have been some major changes to the program.
Of course we don't want to remind dearly beloved Rio Grande Southern 20 About heard time being stuck on lizard head pass. The poor girl just wants to sleep
If theres a story in there about one of them , it would be adorable to read it in their cab. It would be hard to record it in high enough quality for the audiobook but for youtube it would work great.
I have a steam bioler with a whistle atached when I run it and it is a balance becouse when I run it on weekends at home when its dinner time I halft to stop so its a balance like you said and its fun to wake up at 5 build up pressure and bye 8 blow it
Will the museum be required to convert from coal to oil in the locomotives like the D&S did? Is the museum required to keep he engines as close to original as possible? What happens if the coal mines shut down?
If it's warmer out we tend to see that. Depends on downtime and just how it ended up sitting. I've come into 491 having 90 on the gauge still. Usually 15-20 is what we end up with though.
Your talk of cold reminds me of a question I had: When it's below freezing, how do you keep the tender water tanks from freezing? If it were me, I'd pipe low pressure steam into the bottom of the tank and let it bubble up through. That would also preheat and deaerate the feed water.
I was wondering that as well and woulda asked Hyce in the comments myself if you hadn't already asked the same question. As for my speculation as to how the tender water is kept liquid when it's below freezing, perhaps something like a steam or hot water radiator embedded in the floor and/or walls of the water tank, coupled with well insulating the tank to keep the heat in.
I was just about to say "But what about her binky?" when you realized you'd forgotten it. I have to say, the girls needing binkies to sleep is rather adorable. They deserve all the love and pets.
*aggressively pets steam locomotive.jpg*
*proceeds to say sweet dreams to the locomotive*
Just be careful when they decide they want belly rubs.
@@sirrlivor boiler rubs lol
normalize the personification of steam locomotives! >:V
That's so cute that 20 gets her own blanket ❤
14:12 491 has one too 💜
I love that you guys give the locomotives the little binkies to sleep with, it’s weirdly adorable
This video was pretty enjoyable!
Back in the NS steam program the BIG locos were banked. As I recall 1218 gets 6 in. longer hot than cold.
For a big firebox it makes a lot more sense to bank. We used to bank 491 and she reliably did pretty well but the keyholes didn't like it for whatever reason.
@@Hyce777 Learned something. I was only thinking size mattered. Firebox age, shape, rivets probably, too. Being hotter than the sun 24/7 makes an old lady cranky.
The choo choo is very tired, she is eepy. The choo choo has had a very long day of entertaining foamers and wants to take just a smol sleeb. She eeby and neebies to sleeby. Choo choo sleepy and need bed-bye time.
For some reason I figured dropping the fire would be part of it, but I guess it makes sense that you'd let it stay there to make pressure and just die out naturally. And there's nothing wrong with a little stitiousness as long as it leads to being kinder to your stuff.
dyno go brrrrrrrrrrr
It does go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr or whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr or whizzzzzzzzzzz
It's more of a WREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I more like a EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEI
@@RobertCraft-re5sf yes 😂
More of a WHHHHSSSSSHHHH
Heckin love your videos! I used to be obsessed with trains as a kid, and you've helped me build that obsession up once again! Sincerely, thank you!!!
Is it by accident or delibarate, that Hyce is playing the part of the notably long haired fireman of the polar express?
He even keeps a cotter pin in his hair, under his hat.
Wonder if he can drift on ice.
@@amadeosendiulo2137 we'll find out when smells like kenosha starts playing
Accident, this time... Lol
@@Hyce777So no ice drifting in Century of Steam?
Awwwwwwww that cute. You really gotta make sure she's all good and warm and happy before the Choo-Choo sleeps for the night. And apply the oil and grease in case the lazy day crew doesn't do it.
I want to hear the story about how the binky came to be. Like how that piece of fabric came to the shop and how it ended up becoming the binky!
20 getting her binky was the cutest part.
It's always interesting to see just how similar other railroaders' workflows are. Despite being so very different in size, operations and geography.
I follow almost the exact same procedures on my little doot, the Lady and S549 here in The Upside Down. Except with slightly more digging around in the ashpan (and the little doot's smokebox) before pulling into the shed and that handbrake going on for the last time this shift.
What handbrakes? Lol. Also 20 slings literally everything that could possibly be in the smokebox out her stack so that makes sense. Neat to know the comparison is so similar otherwise.
Awww, how cute she has her own binky!
This reminds me of shutdown sequence for my old ships (LCDR USNR (Ret) here).
I used to run an oil-fired light Pacific in South Florida, and we didn't have water that cold in the tender! Shutting down was pretty straight forward: Pull the wedge that keeps the tender's oil valve open, and let the oil in the line burn out. Shut off the firing valve, and use the blowback to use steam to blow any residual oil in the line back into the tender. Shut off the appliances. And just let the injector run continuously until the sight glass is about 7/8 full. When you're done injecting, take tender oil and water level readings and calculate the day's water/oil consumption ratio. Use the longirontoolIcan'trememberthenameof to break up any clinkers in the firebox. Close the turret valve, make sure a driver or two is chocked, make sure the house cocks on the cylinders are open, and you're done.
One thing I've always wondered about steam locomotives is, if we never switched to diesel or electric, would steam technology ever get to the point where the fire-person's job is automated (like in train simulators). We're talking sensors to monitor the pressure, fuel and water levels are automatically add fuel and water based on the throttle position. Would steam technology ever get to the point where you could automate double-heading? Would remote-controlled steam locomotives ever be invented? Would they ever be given digital gauges? Etc.
Probably. They already invented stokers that just feed the coal in automatically, though you might see the fireman still being there just to be a human failsafe and another pair of eyes on the other side of the cab. As for if RC MU'd steam locomotives would exist, they already do in live-steam, which is real steam just small and could theoretically be scaled back up perfectly fine.
Probably so.
A steam locomotive that sleeps well has a binky. When he said I forgot the most crucial step I didn't think Putting a binky with a locomotive would be it but it is and it is super cute
Traveling by train is truly the best way to get around.
Agreed! Trains are beautiful!
Awww they are actually so cute, love these guys as much as I love war bonnet f units, insanely good as usual mark!
Okay, i didn't know about that binkie part, yet. This is true love, like a father to his child. I love it:)
1:28 cockatoo noises intensify. 15:27 angry 20 noises
The video looks amazing, showing the cab of the steam locomotive, shoving the coal to the fire box, it was perfect, i love it, keep up the great work, mate, i subbed your channel, Greetings from Portugal to the USA.
The engine having a binky is so cute. I feel like everyone working with machinery in preservation/machinery that's got just a little more "personality" than usual does something like that (or at least should do something like that)
I always kiss my machine tools good night when I leave the shop.
Love this kind of content! You have such a cool job getting to play with real choochoos!
This was really cool to see….. so glad you give her binky/blankie
THE BINKY! The most important part!
And from Dantes Inferno to pitch back i can only imagine how it affects your night vision 😁
He's talked about it, after looking at the fire it's "what night vision?"
It certainly is challenging, lol. You never know what you're getting as far as coal in the scoop lol
I've been a fan of steam locomotives for most my life and you've helped me learn so much in depth knowledge about these amazing machines. There are parts of me that wish I could do that for a living, but I don't think I could manage all those intricate details required for a successful run, but a man can have dreams
Totally unrelated question because I’m genuinely curious. I’ve been watching SteR and Kerbo play the early access for Railroader and was wondering if you were going to play it eventually? They seemed to be really enjoying it and your commentary while playing it would be hilarious
I'll be streaming it shortly today. ;)
@@Hyce777 yaaaaaaaaaaaaaas
Wouldn’t they keep the big ones, like big boy or challenger lit 24/7 cause it took so long for the water to heat up?
Basically yes, VSM Beekbergen leaves their engines (large German steam locomotives) hot overnight for the Terug naar Toen event. Which basically means that they are fired up on Friday and are extinguished on Sunday evening / Monday morning
There's way more valves to be closed than I thought!
On a different note, its time for a caboose race in Derail Valley. The grade from the wye out of CM, through the corkscrew, all the way to OWN is almost all downhill. (tested, its doable)
There’s a steam engine you can ride to the grand canyon that’s not powered by coal but instead uses recycled vegetable oil.
No more coal in hole, when no longer hot, drain boiler? Add lube while it's still a little hot so it sticks for when you're starting it back up? Make sure you're leaving it in the right spot?
Every time I see one of your wonderful videos I get a greater appreciation of the amount of brain power required to safely and efficiently operate a steam locomotive, especially one fired with coal. Definitely not a job for someone with “-a mind that’s weak and a back that’s strong”, to paraphrase Tennessee Ernie Ford.
When you are in the Station you can have the firebox door open to keep the steam train from popping off and the next time that you are at East Broad Top railroad you can ask the engineer all different kinds of questions and you can learn from different railroads. Next year in October the fall reunion is different than this year
You should come see the Pere Marquette 1225 one day during the Christmas season over here in Michigan. You probably already know, but its the train that the Polar Express (both book and movie) based its looks off. I saw it this year after it got a major rebuild on its 70 year old running gear. They do a North pole express ride and the tickets sell out fast. I think they also take it out to other events during the year as well
Little engine, little binky. Adorbs 😍
Its quite some steps to do and you surely dont wanna miss any of them. So do you guys use a checklist to make sure, everything is done properly or is it just done by heart.. In aviation we have checklists , e.g. for shutting down the plane and for a lot of other important steps
It’s always a good video when it’s from Hyce!
Great video as always!
Do you also play a goodnight song for her? Or do you read a bedtime story?
I enjoy your videos so much. My husband was a signalman/maintainer for many years for PennCentral and then Conrail. We dealt with no steam engines of course but I love rr history as well as newer technology. The knuckles have me cringe always because of a fatal untimely hookup. Enjoy the ride and God bless.
I knew 20s firebox was small but I never realized it was that small.
Gosh there's so much that reminds me of smoking a brisket. Especially the patience.
I've seen homesteaders made these massive wood pulp-charcoal-coffee ground briquettes. (bricks about the size of two gallon jugs put together though) iirc they'd go for 500f for 6-8 hours on end. that's probably weaksauce for pressure but I thought I'd put it out there, since they burn so long.
was it common to have diesels and steam engines together on the same train in the transition era
I am not sure! I'm sure it did happen but how commonly I don't know.
@@Hyce777 it’s ok it would be a good video
That was good. Thanks for taking the time to show the night-night routine. (I noticed 491 also has a binky. Is there some other superstition behind that? Or just engine PTSD comfort object? Haha)
All 3 engines have their own, lol. It's a bit of both.
@@Hyce777 That makes sense. (And at least there’s just enough blankey to keep the turret warm if anyone ever decides to bury themselves in a snowy pass…or sleep one off in a ditch 🤣)
Not a steam locomotive boiler, but at night at my grandma's house, we would put a small amount of coal on the fire and the a few scoops of ash in the center of the fire to bank it. 40 years ago, when I was firing at the IRM I asked about banking and I did not get a yay or nay answer only that banking with ash was to keep the fire burning slow and even.
Hi Mark, trust famous #20 had a wonderful sleepy time cuddled up with her Binky. 🤣 A hilarious ending to yet another ultra fab tutorial! I hadn’t thought much about the procedure of putting choo choo to bed for the night, just enough so that the next crew can take over for the next run. Your video beautifully explains this. Thank you Professor for another valuable learning experience. Your 101 classes are A+! Cheers to you and happy Polar Express!
Hello from ET&WNC land. This video was great and taught me some things I didn't know! Well done.
What are special considerations for putting train to bed in winter if 20 below temp, and locomotive being put away long-term ?
( or fire/boiler being restarted dry from way below freezing )
This video describes situation where engine is going to be fired-up next morning, and never gets 100% cold, so you leave boiler water full, ready for the next morning. Much different procedure than being freezing cold for a week or more, when every pipe and part of machinery, boiler, tender etc must be drained to keep water from freezing, expanding, and breaking things.
Train crews would have to deal with these conditions in 1930s with really cold temps, and locos that are stored weeks or need maintenance mid winter then go back in service. It gets really cold in Colorado, Chicago, Wyoming, or Canada.
A century ago, many would probably be kept semi-warm all winter, never allowed to freeze up or go more than 8hrs without being re-fired... but as fireman on a steam loco, I would think you also need to know how to keep one from freezing up, and how to get one warmed up safely in freezing conditions when entirely cold & dry.
I understand Your group is mostly a museum, catering to tourist/public... and so you are just "closed" when temps are bitter cold... Some of these questions/issues relate more to steam operations back in the "golden age of steam" when they would runn all through winter.
Still, I know YOU do enjoy knowing the detail history of steam locomotives (and their operation) so I thought you could be a good person to ask.
1) If shutting down for winter... boilers could freeze, pumps, water towers, reserve tanks, pipes, etc. What are all the special steps to protect equipment... but still have things prepped and ready for use and re-firing later?
2) Where would you start if temp is 20 below, and EvErYtHiNG is frozen?
Water towers freeze, boilers would freeze, fires are out, and you can't even add water back to super-cold pipes and machinery, or it could freeze within 60 seconds of being put in cold steel/brass... breaking just because not restarted correctly.
3) Are there large underground water tanks for rail yards in cold climates? ...to keep unfrozen water below frost line, and using pumps to pull it up?
Did some rail yards have large reservoir ponds nearby, where pond can freeze over 8" in winter, but still gravity flow underground to supply water for trains?
4) Do train sheds have preheater boilers that are fired up to preheat 200gal of water, so it can circulate hot water or steam in/out/through parts of a frozen locomotive... bringing it up from -20F to 40F fast enough so pipes don't flash freeze, and break?
5) When way below freezing, do you start a fire in locomotive with boiler Dry, and pre warm boiler to certain temp before adding water?
6) Even after main boiler is warmed up, other parts/pipes on loco can still be too cold, like air pumps, dynamo, brake cylinders, main cylinders, reverser control, etc... What is the Order of Steps to get these to operating temp?
7) After ONE locomotive was fired with decent head of steam, was there a capability to use steam from hot boiler to preheat other engine boilers ? (pipes/hoses allowing steam engine equivalent of a jump start) ...or would every engine need to be cold/dry fired seperately?
8) When main line freight & passenger steam needed to run mid winter... I think there was a steam line that kept water tank in tender from freezing up.
Did that line just condense all steam back to water and bubble up through tender's tank, instead of circulating back to boiler? (and you would have to run boiler injector extra, to replace steam/water used to keep tender warm)
9) Did locomotive also have steam line going back to passenger cars for steam heat? ...or did passenger cars each have their own oil/coal fired heat?
Even modern diesel electric locomotives have special winter procedures, and most do Not even use antifreeze in their engines... onboard controlls just restart the diesel every so often to maintain operating temp & keep from freezing up. If something goes wrong or they run out of fuel, automatic valves dump all water out on the ground before it freezes hard.
What other considerations are there for cold winter operations that I did not think to ask??
sometimes the trsin can cool, the control valve starts to let pressure to wheels,train can move on its own. called a" night crawler"
Awesome I Hope when Your train reached Glacier gulch You got a Chance to hear Your Conductor And Passengers screaming Like their on a Rollercoaster 🤣🤣
Would you be able to show us a piece of coal burning by itself just like on a shovel or off to the side. I think it would be kinda cool to actually see how something that is hard like a rock burns.
13:14 “the loud thing” -Hyce 2023
I love the binkies, awesome video as always.
These videos are so good.
3:45 Your buddy’s funny :D Made it pass the Canadian *Border*
WHERE IS 491's / YOUR CHILD'S BINKY HYCE!?! SHE NEEDS IT TOO!
My my what a fine princess she is, binky and all haha
Laughed at the "let's pretend it's dark and snowy", on a video that is about the "real" Polar Express. nice video, no idea why I find these so interesting, but I do. thanks.
Real 👍. It sure looks like attending to a locomotive is a real work of art and you sure have to know what you're doing.
ugh night railroading but night railroading with rain!
we need more railroads online its been about five months hyce and also happy 103k subs
Choo-choo GRWM for bed! Love this!
Wow cannot believe I was there a couple times back in like 2000 some time it seems like only yesterday that I visited the Colorado Rail Road Museum.
The vacations I went to see all the different Colorado places out of all of them I always loved stopping by the Museum I still have my mug all be it faded now.
And it was so fun to see inside the mail car when I went or just see massive locomotives some seemed to be mountains of steel too.
If I ever come back to Colorado will certainly drop by it is my fav spot after all. :)
I was a bit baffled by the binkie talk and the pictures of it being on the front, so at first I thought it was a language barrier problem or something you hadn't explained about the steam locomotives.
Nice to know it was just some stitiousness, and not superstition :D
I didn't get that Lizard Head joke until just now, probably in thanks to the Museum's history video of the RGS and number 20.
I mean, I pat pat my car, so I would deffinetly give her the binky, even more if she did a good job.
This should have been a Christmas special
I love how you said she is not going to have any dreams of getting stuck on Lizard head in snow!
YAY!! Another Video!
20's got exactly the right picturesque look to pull the Polar Express. Let's be honest for a moment: As cool as the Big Uns may be, the picture a kid will hand you if you ask it to draw a steam locomotive is the shape of the small ones.
Considering it's their bed time, perhaps the video needs to be tagged "ASMR" since the choo choo is sleepy.
There's a podcast I was listening to earlier where they literally mentioned The Poler Express as the money printer that keeps a lot of passenger cars out of the scrapper. XD WTYP episode 143 if you're curious.
It's nice to see 20 running and the differences between her and 491. ^^
I have a question though. How do you ensure that an unattended train can't go anywhere by herself? Is it just brakes, or something else? Like the wedges under car tires when it's being worked on, on the ground.
ua-cam.com/video/1-Tn3KN-hfc/v-deo.htmlsi=Wq3vsu3-4e826Una&t=861
Drivers are chained.
Do you need to wear hearing protection while operating a SL?
The dynamo itself seems like it's loud enough to require it
he's wearing hearing prot for most of the video, got those earplugs on a wire
*Need* is subjective, and most steam operators will argue one way or the other.
Me as an audio engineer, I always wear it or have them at the ready for when the train is doing things. Cab before airbrakes, whistle, safety valve, etc is 85 dB which is plenty...
Yep shutdown and disposal is so much the same . Getting it right means you get home at a reasonable time. Get it wrong I.E not enough steam to work the injector to fill the boiler Arr. It meant building the fire to raise pressure then fill the boiler. Getting home was very late. But do it right and she will last all night, dont and in the morning it’s a struggle to get her ready for service in time…. Do not ask how I know……. I have done both…. Battle to get home. AND battle to get her ready in the “Normal time”
Awesome Job
Do you think you could do a video on blowback never seen one on this platform before?
Our little railroad here used to bank the firebox for the Heisler. I don't know if they still do it as there have been some major changes to the program.
Her binky is so cute! Night night #20.
welp at least she got her binkie sleep well 20
I take a *huge STEAMING dump* after I go to bed, too.... 💩
You forgot to let her choo-choose her favorite bedtime story!
10:37 enough to make a few fast s’mores I would say.
have you ever considered takeing a recording of the dyno so you can filter it a little on the audio file because it is quite the piercing sound.
I have tried doing that before and because of how broad spectrum the dynamo is it really kills the whole audio too much. Too much artifacting.
A Hyce Upload?
On *MY* Birthday!
And the video's about Steamer's and Beddy Bye time!?
This is a Good day ideed
Happy birthday!
I really dont firing in the dark every time i close the firebox im blind for like 5 seconds, loved the vid!
Of course we don't want to remind dearly beloved Rio Grande Southern 20 About heard time being stuck on lizard head pass. The poor girl just wants to sleep
Imagine if you read a story of little engines and big men to 20 and 491.
If theres a story in there about one of them , it would be adorable to read it in their cab. It would be hard to record it in high enough quality for the audiobook but for youtube it would work great.
Awesome informative video ! Thank You !
Love it! Well done! Thanks so much!!
I have a steam bioler with a whistle atached when I run it and it is a balance becouse when I run it on weekends at home when its dinner time I halft to stop so its a balance like you said and its fun to wake up at 5 build up pressure and bye 8 blow it
Will the museum be required to convert from coal to oil in the locomotives like the D&S did? Is the museum required to keep he engines as close to original as possible? What happens if the coal mines shut down?
Such a different world. With our oil burners, i really hope to see at least 50 psi on the gauge in the morning.
If it's warmer out we tend to see that. Depends on downtime and just how it ended up sitting. I've come into 491 having 90 on the gauge still. Usually 15-20 is what we end up with though.
Going through check list: Verify lock, check. Drop camera, check. lmao That's me right there
Your talk of cold reminds me of a question I had: When it's below freezing, how do you keep the tender water tanks from freezing?
If it were me, I'd pipe low pressure steam into the bottom of the tank and let it bubble up through. That would also preheat and deaerate the feed water.
there normally is a feedwater heater. but 20 might actually be a bit older than that.
@@themanformerlyknownascomme777 Would a feedwater heater heat the whole tank, or just heat the water as it's fed into the boiler?
I was wondering that as well and woulda asked Hyce in the comments myself if you hadn't already asked the same question.
As for my speculation as to how the tender water is kept liquid when it's below freezing, perhaps something like a steam or hot water radiator embedded in the floor and/or walls of the water tank, coupled with well insulating the tank to keep the heat in.
Almost the same process with my local railroads steam locomotive, but instead of coal, we burn oil