[SEL] Locomotive stacks

Bruce Younger byounger at ci.lenexa.ks.us
Thu Oct 6 12:43:09 PDT 2005


"I've heard that different stacks (on the locomotives) were used,
depending 
on what type of fuel was used..wood vs. coal.  Draft plus it helped
quench 
the sparks.

RickinMt."

Right on, Rick. The wood-burners used the diamond-shaped stacks, and the
coal burners the straight stacks. If you get a close look at a diamond
stack, they are usually hinged, bolted, or  banded at the wide point.
There is a screen in there to act as a spark arrestor, and the stack can
be opened to service it.

Unfortunately, the Avery underslung that passed us while we sat in my
new pickup watching the parade two weeks ago at Prairieland, did not
have the spark arrestor.  The four of us had the doors open for breeze,
and with the breeze we got sparks that put a couple of little burns on
the seats and a purty good one on the plastic around the base of the
seat.  Should have seen it coming, so to speak.

Bruce Younger
Lenexa, Kansas USA
mailto:sluggo54 at hotmail.com
 




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