I have just purchased an 0-6-0 saddle tank stean loco for my N-Scale layout. I have seen photos of saddle tanks & I remember having seen some actual ones on the CNJ -- (in my youth). But -- how do they work? That is, does the tank only carry water, or does it also carry oil (as a fuel source) or coal, or ??? Any info is welcome.
Saddle tank engines are pretty simple for the most part. Fuel, whether it is coal or oil, is generally stored in a compartment/bunker, or a tank in the case of oil, located directly behind the cab. The feed water is contained in a tank that is mounted on the boiler. There are several different styles of water tanks that were used and they range from a "U" shape tank that almost completely covers the top of the boiler (to just about the smokebox) and down the side of the boiler to a pair of tanks mounted on each side of the boiler...The "true" saddle tank engine has the water tanks mounted on each side.
British Tank Engine This is a photo of a Great Western Railway tank engine at the Didcot Railway Museum in England. They are filling the water saddle tanks from a garden hose, and you can see the coal bunker behind the cab.
I have attached a photo of a saddle tank locomotive that is still "in steam"! #4 is a restored saddle tanker that plies the mile of track that the B&O Train Museum in Baltimore stages train rides on. A group of hardy volunteers, including the son of renowned railroad author Herb Harwood, restored this spunky old girl a few years ago. Sadly, it was damaged in the roof collapse, but has been repaired. In fact, in October she'll be part of the Museum's STEAM WEEKEND! Notice the hump over the boiler- this contains the water to feed the engine. Coal is kept in a small bunker that is attached to the back of the cab. When they restored this loco, they did what many railroads that run steam excursions have done- attached a fire hose hookup to the saddle tank! That way the saddle tank can be filled quickly. #4 is from the Baltimore area, but was not a B&O engine. She once was used at the St. Elizabeth Hospital- a mental hospital outside of town. Before the days of interstates and highways, supplies and food were brought by train. #4 would then bring them from the mainline to the hospital. The curator and board of the Museum wanted to get a working steamer. They had been using the Lafayette and the William Mason, but they are both too valuable to run on a regular basis. #4 was in good shape, could be restored rather quickly, and had enough pep to pull some excursion cars. Let me tell you, she has an awesome whistle! So if you're ever in B-more, you might get a chance to actually see a working saddle tank locomotive.
I found a link to some information on the various "saddle tank" type locomotives that might be helpful at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_locomotive. There's also another bred of "saddle tank" type locomotives not discussed in that reference and that is the "Shop Switcher" or "Shop Goat". What's interesting with the "Shop Switchers" is that just about anything goes as the idea is to build (or rebuild) a locomotive small enough that it could fit on a turntable (or other "plant/shop" tracks) with another full size locomotive. Just about every railroad (back in the steam days) with a major shop complex had 'em and generally no two were built exactly the same. The SP had a real interesting "collection" and some of them are documented on Richard Percy's website (link to the "Shop Switcher" pages: http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam_shop-switchers.html ). In the "corrections department", the locomotive that I said was a "true saddle tank engine" (in my previous post) would actually be classified as a "side tank" engine. Here's a couple of pictures of an operational "side tank" engine that runs at the CSRM...A H. K. Porter locomotive built in August of 1942 (originally built for the U.S. Army).
There was one other type of "Tank" engine not mentioned here. The "Smokeless" or "Fireless" engines had what looked to be a big fat boiler with no exposed fittings, but in fact it was a massive tank of compressed air that powered the cylinders. I'll see if I can find some photos and information. Google found one on the first hit.... http://www.nrhs.com/web_exclusives/fireless_cooker/
I could be wrong but I believe that fireless engines used steam/water heated in a stationary boiler to fill the tank, not compressed air. Regards Ed
Here's another old Porter saddle tank loco, but slightly different. This one has the standard inverted U water tank, but it has no bunker for fuel behind the cab. Instead, the torpedo tubes on the sides are fuel oil tanks, or so I'm led to believe. Regards Ed
Ed, that's sure one interesting looking locomotive!! Depending upon the locomotive, it could use either compressed air or steam/water or in some case, either/or. (...Not to beat Hytec to the punch... :teeth Here is a link to the National Railway Historical Society's webpage on "Fireless Locomotives" http://www.nrhs.com/web_exclusives/fireless_cooker/.
Learn something new every day, I stand corrected. One of the neat things around here. Great link, thanks. Ed
Ed, no offense, but that's one ugly engine! The Railroad Museum in Strasburg has a Porter fireless loco. They would pump it full of steam, and it would use that to run the pistons. I think it was referred to as a "thermos bottle". Now for the good news- Steam Days Saturday, October 7 & Sunday, October 8, 2006 Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Ride behind the recently restored St. Elizabeth, a 1950 Porter built-saddle tank steam engine. Programs and demonstrations highlight steam power and celebrate the 150th anniversary of B&O's William Mason, a classic American Type 4-4-0 steam locomotive.
Ed, no offense, but that's one ugly engine! I prefer to think of it as a very early version of the "U-boat". ;-) Ed
Wow! Thanks to all for replying to my question re the operation of saddle tank locos. I didn't realize there were so many varieties.
Ackshully, I didn't know about the thermos bottles, just the air bottles...as Ed said, live-n-learn. :embarassed: :teeth:
