posted
I have seen 2 photos of a Locomotive shooting flames from its stack, it said they were straining to pull frieght up a hill, and the strain caused flames, and the crew didnt seem to care that there loco was shooting a 5 to 6 foot flame from its single stack, (the Locomotive looked like a Dash-8 with Conventional cab),, is that normal?
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posts: 989 | From: DIAMOND BAR CA. U.S. | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
I don't believe that this was strain, but fuel that had escaped consumption, causing it to combust and create the flames. Can someone elaborate on this? Thanks. ~Eric
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I can't really elaborate that much, but I seem to recall reading an article somewhere (I think in Trains magazine) about how this occurs is medium altitudes, maybe 4000-6000 feet, and it happens when an engineer comes out of dynamic braking quickly back into power, which causes fuel to escape combustion or something like that, as Eric said, and this causes flame at the stack. I think they originally discovered this because the flames were causing grass fires, and they didn't know why these fires were happening. So they discovered it was the locomotives.
Posts: 93 | From: Batavia, IL | Registered: Apr 2004
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This is caused by the hogger (engineer) putting the unit in "run" immeadietly after an application of dynamic braking. It is very common on the GE locomotivs from what I understand. After coming out of dynamics he is supposed to wait 10 seconds BEFORE notching up on the throttle, however somtimes you cannot wait that 10 seconds, and it results in the gigantic plume of fire and somke to come out of the exhaust stacks. Hope that made sense, if not ask and ill try to clarify.
-Nick
Posts: 11 | From: Novato, CA | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I'm not too sure about the new locomotives, but I know when the old ones were turned off and set for a few days (which rarely happens, and you crank them back up, it blows the soot out when a strain is put on the engine. I've seen 10 foot flames come out, and sparks flying everywhere.
Posts: 100 | From: Sacramento,CA | Registered: May 2003
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