On a trip from New York to Philadelphia by the lightning express train the firing was conducted as follows:
The coal was anthracite and in lumps from 5 to 7 inches in diameter; at one end it reached up to the level of the fire door, while at the tube plate end of the fire box it was about 6 inches deep.
The grate bars were constructed to shake in three sections, and shaking the bars to clear out the fire caused it to feed forward of itself, and the combustion of the coal caused it to break up into lumps about 2 inches in diameter at the tube plate, where the fire was much brighter than at the fire door end. The steam pressure varied about 10 lbs. during the trip.
We now come to the best times to fire, to feed, and to oil the valves, and this depends on the level of the road.
On a level road these matters could be attended to with regularity, but as the engine has most work to do in ascending inclines, it is necessary to prepare for such emergencies: First, by having a good fire prepared, so that the fire door may be kept closed as much as possible while the engine is ascending; second, by having plenty of water in the boiler, so as to keep steam, without feeding any more than possible when the engine is calling for more steam, by reason of the reversing lever being put over towards full gear.
The speed is kept well up before reaching the incline, and the reversing lever moved forward a notch or two at a time to maintain the speed, while at the same time moving the sand lever to feed the sand as soon as the engine speed shows signs of reducing.
ACCIDENTS ON THE ROAD.
The accidents to which the locomotive is most liable when running upon the road, and the course to be pursued by the engineer to enable him to take the engine to the depot or complete the trip, are as follows:
Knocking out the Front Cylinder Head or Cover.—This arises from various causes, such as a breakage of a connecting rod strap, or of a piston rod or cross head. It is the practice of some locomotive builders to cut in the cylinder cover flange a small groove close to the part that fits the cylinder bore, so that the cover shall break out in the form of a disc, leaving the cover, flange, bolts, and nuts intact, and diminishing the liability to break the cylinder itself as well as the cover.
The provisional remedy for this accident is to take off the connecting rod (on the side of the broken cover) and also the valve motion, either at the rock shaft arm or by taking down the eccentric rod straps. Then place the valve in the centre of its travel so that it shall cover and enclose both the cylinder steam ports and leave the exhaust port open. Then block the cross head firmly on the forward centre, and go ahead with the other cylinder.