I'm trying to place a coal tower and water crane in an engine terminal on a small rural railway. I've seen videos that show the fire being dumped into an ash pit before the engine goes into the house. But I can't find whether coal and water are added before going into the house, or after leaving and going to the ready track. I assume the house crew would want a nearly empty coal bin and water tank in case repairs are needed, but then we all know what "ass-u-me" means....:tb-ooh:
If I recall right, most of the videos I have seen show the tenders being topped off before heading to the roundhouse, where generally routine servicing and any minor repairs were done to get the engine ready for its next trip, after which the fire would be rebuilt and steam raised as needed. I believe any situation where more extensive repair was required would be handled as needed and moved to the backshop if the road owned one.
Railroads did it different ways. Some had the Ash pit and the sand on the way into the house, ans then the coaling and water on the way out...So it could go either way. But most of them wanted the loco ashed prior to going into the house... Marty McGuirk wrote a Kalmbach Book about locomotive servicing facilities...bot steam and diesel. You would have the inbound track with the inspection-pit, then ash-pit, water tank/column, coaling tower and sand tower/sand house...the end at the turntable, and the round house...You might even have a washrack on the inbound track as well...
Hank, NY Central had a short movie titled the same as your recent post "The Steam Locomotive" which showed at least at the Central facility where it was filmed, the coal, water and sand were added after the roundhouse trip, before going to the ready track. Like Paul said, it was done differently on different roads. :tb-biggrin:
OK Guys, you've convinced me "that I pays my money an' makes my choice!" Jim, I haven't seen the movie you mention, but that reminded me that I have an excellent book on the B&M, including a lengthy chapter on the Boston Engine Terminal with lots of steam era photos of service areas. Besides, my power is lettered for the B&M, and my scenery looks suspiciously like rural New Hampshire. Sometimes my brain just needs an occasional kick in the tush. Thanks to All Y'All...:thumbs_up:
Here's a fascinating video that shows the sequence, at least for Britain in the 1950's. It might help you. And everyone else gets to spend close to half an hour watching a neat video.:mbiggrin: [video=youtube;ZMfqSMKoiiM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMfqSMKoiiM[/video]
Most railroads preferred to water the engines prior to knocking the fire, while the boiler was good and hot. If you filled the engine while cold, then the expansion of the water in the boiler as it heated would actually push water out of the tender and onto the ground. As for fuel, that didn't make a difference that way...
