Chapter XXXVIII.—THE LOCOMOTIVE.

VOL. II.AMERICAN FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVEPLATE XXIX.
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Fig. 3326.

In [Fig. 3326] is shown a modern freight locomotive, the construction being as follows:

For generating the steam we have the boiler, which at the front end is firmly bolted to the engine cylinders, which are in turn bolted to the frames, while at the back end the boiler is suspended by the links b (one at each end of the fire box on each side of the engine).

The starting bar is shown in position to start the engine, and it is seen that the rod a and bell crank b are in such a position as to open the valve t, and thus admit steam from the dome to the pipe e, whence it passes through pipes f, g and r into the steam chest i, the slide valve v distributing the steam to the cylinder. The exhaust occurs through the exhaust port d, whence it passes up the exhaust pipe and out at the smoke stack.

The boiler is fed with water as follows:

The feed pipe from the tender supplies water to the injector, which is forced by the injector through the feed pipe to boiler and into the latter.

In the figure the parts are shown in position for the engine to go ahead, hence the reversing gear is in the extreme forward notch of the sector, and the valve gear is in full gear for the forward motion.

The lever m is for opening and closing the cylinder cocks, which are necessary to let the water of condensation out of the cylinder when the engine is first started and the cold cylinder condenses the steam.

To supply steam to the injectors (of which there are two, one on each side of the engine) and to the steam cylinder of the pump, there is a steam pipe leading from the dome to the steam drum, the pipe k supplying steam to the injector, and pipe j supplying steam to the steam cylinder of the air pump. The pipe for supplying oil to the slide valve and cylinder is furnished with a sight feed oil cup, the oil being carried by steam from the steam drum.