On another website I saw this locomotive described as a ‘fireless locomotive’.
What does the ‘fireless’ refer to?
JaRRell
These rare industrial switcher, were as you might imagine “fireless” this meant it was recharged by a stationary boiler. The locomotive would be filled with live steam and then use the pressure as it worked. It had no power supply of its own. These can usually be picked out by the lack of a normal smoke stack. Sad to see one rusting.
Oh… yes… thanks James. So they had to return to the staionary boiler every so often to ‘gas’ up.
JaRRell
A fireless locomotive such as the one in your photo could run for up to 45 minutes on one “charge” of steam from the stationary boiler. These engines were used in areas where highly flammable materials were handled and there was a high risk of explosion from the locomotive’s firebox igniting fumes.
in 84 I think it was Pennsy Power and light which still used one
Don’t know ifd they still do
Here’s a link with all the info. As you can see, they DO have a stack. If you look closely in the posted pic above you will see something white is covering the stack. They can also run all day as opposed to 45 minutes. This link also has info on a pneumatic loco as well. Cool stuff.
On30: I checked the site, very interesting, but Now I have to get some info on that pneumatic 0-6-0 locomotive, it’s made by Dickson Locomotive Works in Scranton PA, anyone have any more photos or info on this wild looking engine?? What a project this would make!
Hmmmm… I wonder if Detroit and Tokyo could come up with a car that ran on compressed air, like this locomotive?
that would be better than having a steam power plant at every house to power one of these…
Of course you could have filling stations that sell the steam, but it would probably all be waaaaay to dangerous.
JaRRell
If you look closely, the one in the first picture has what appears to be the base of a stack. These were used for exhaust, and I’ve seen them without this kind of stack, just two pipes coming up the front of the steam tank to exhaust the steam from the cylinders.
Didn’t they use compressed air to get a big locomotive out a museum? I think it was an old Allegheny, but I am not sure, might have been a Y 6B. Any info on that?
Compressed air was used to move a Shay out of the B&O museum when it was loaned to the Cass Scenic Railway. Any steam engine that is in operating condition should be able to run on compressed air, but finding a compressor with the capacity to fill it is real challenge. You certainly won’t do it with a normal household compressor or one like an automotive repair shop uses.
The P P & L loco is at the Railroad Museum of PA in Strasburg. Just came out of the restoration shop and looks great.
Engine # 4094. Built by Heisler. Only 0-8-0F fireless loco built.