A. Jack the tender up to where it belongs and put a block in place of
the broken spring.
73. Q. What should be done with a broken engine truck spring or
equalizer?
A. For a broken spring, raise the front end of the engine and place
blocks across the equalizers under the truck spring near the spring
band. For a broken equalizer, block on top of engine truck boxes and
under truck frame.
74. Q. What should be done if a driving spring hanger or equalizer
should break?
A. Would block between the driving box affected and under the frame over
it, using hardwood block or piece of iron. Would also block the
equalizer up to its proper position between the disabled end and the
frame, or over the other end, as the type of spring rigging requires, to
hold the equalizer level. For a broken equalizer, would block on top of
all boxes affected, would raise the engine by running the proper driving
wheels upon an incline or wedge to lift the engine while other boxes
were blocked; a re-railing frog comes handy for this work.
75. Q. How can an engine be moved if the reverse lever or reach rod were
caught at short cut-off by a broken spring or hanger?
A. By removing the pin at the forward end of reach rod, to free the
tumbling shaft and allow it to be moved either forward or back to move
the engine. A block should be placed over the link block to avoid
damaging it when uncoupled, as well as to hold link in proper position
to move the engine. This would allow the engine to be moved and clear
the main line.
76. Q. How can the blowing of steam past cylinder packing, a valve or
valve strip be distinguished or located?
A. Test for a leaky slide valve, place the engine on the quarter on the
suspected side with the reverse lever in center notch; the valve should
be in the middle of its travel and cover both ports. If steam blows
through the open cylinder cocks on that side, the valve or seat are
defective. A leaky balanced valve strip will allow steam to blow through
the hole on top of the valve into the exhaust port in the seat and very
little steam will come out of the cylinder cock; in some cases with the
valve barely opening a steam port to the exhaust, air will draw in at
the cylinder cock. If there is a drip cock in the exhaust pipe under the
saddle, the steam will blow out there. After testing for leaky valve,
place the engine on about the forward bottom or top back eighth, block
the wheels or set the brakes solid, put reverse lever in corner, open
cylinder cocks and give the engine steam. If steam comes out of both
cylinder cocks, and testing valve shows it is tight, then the packing is
blowing. Cylinder packing should be tested with steam first on one side
of the piston and then on the other.
77. Q. If engine should blow badly and be unable to start the train when
on the right dead center, on which side would be the blow generally?
A. On the left side. If the side standing on the quarter cannot start
the train, the trouble is usually there.
78. Q. If throttle were closed and steam came out of cylinder cocks,
what might be the cause?
A. To test for this, first shut off steam connection to the lubricator;
steam leaking into the cylinders can come from a leaky throttle or leaky
dry pipe.
79. Q. Is it possible to distinguish between a leaky throttle and a
leaky dry pipe?
A. Yes; a leaky throttle usually leaks steam at all times. A leaky dry
pipe will leak both steam and water. It will show a stream of water at
the cylinder cocks when the water level in the boiler is raised above
the leak in the dry pipe.
80. Q. What effect have leaky steam pipes in the smoke-arch, and how
should they be tested?
A. Leaky steam pipes waste steam and very seriously affect the draft in
the front end. A bad leak in the back part of the joint at the bottom
will blow into the tubes and make the engine smoke at the door with
throttle wide open while standing still. To test them, open the front
door and cover the joint with fine cinders. When the engine is given
steam, the cinders will blow away from the leak; to properly test them
in the shop, water under heavy pressure should be used.
81. Q. How should the test for a leaky exhaust pipe joint, or a leaky
nozzle joint be made?
A. About the only test that can be made on the road is to open the front
end and reverse the engine with throttle partly opened, watching the
suspected joint at the same time. For the bottom one with cinders around
the joint, for the top one it can sometimes be detected by holding a
torch near the joint.