Heating of Piston Rods.—This the engineer can often discover by sight, or by smelling it from the cab. The remedy is to stop the engine and slack back the gland until the steam from the engine cylinder leaks freely through the packing. Then apply a little extra lubrication or water while running slowly.
Breaking of a Piston Rod.—If the piston rod breaks, but does not knock out the cylinder head or cover, pursue the same course as directed for breaking the cylinder cover, taking the additional precaution to block the piston, which may be done by fitting pieces of wood between the guide bars, making the pieces long enough to fit between the cross head and guide yoke.
The cylinder or waste water cocks on the side of the accident must also be opened, to prevent any leakage of steam past the slide valve from getting into the cylinder and driving the piston against the cylinder cover, and breaking the cylinder cover or even the cylinder itself.
If the piston rod breaks from the cross head, it is safest to remove it from the cylinder, though this is unnecessary, if it be securely blocked against the cylinder head so that it cannot move, though steam may leak in on either side of it.
Breaking a Crank Pin.—This is a somewhat frequent accident, but seldom takes place on both sides of the engine at once.
The remedy is to take off all the parallel or coupling rods, and if it is the crank pin on the driving wheels which breaks, take off the connecting rod also, and securely block the cross head, disconnecting the valve motion as before directed, and opening the cylinder waste water cocks. In the case of this accident occurring, it is absolutely essential to take off the parallel rods on both sides of the engine, or otherwise the crank pins on the other side are apt to break.
Throwing Off a Wheel Tire.—In this case the best plan is to block the tireless wheel entirely clear of the track, which may be done by putting a block of wood into the oil cellar of the driving box, and then tow the engine to the repair shop; for if the engine is run to the shop, and the wheel touches the rail, it will impair its diameter for the proper size of tire.
Throwing Off a Driving Wheel.—This is not a common accident, but nevertheless it sometimes occurs; they break usually just outside of the driving axle box. In this case take out the driving box and fit in its place a block of wood affording journal bearing for the axle. Let this block rest on the pedestal cap, holding the axle up in the centre of the pedestal. Then secure the piston and disconnect the valve gearing and open the cylinder cocks as before, and the engine can be run slowly to the repair shop without danger of further accident, or, if convenient, it can be towed by another engine.
Breaking a Spring Or Spring Hanger.—Lift the engine with the jacks until the driving wheel axle box is about in the centre of the pedestal, and put any convenient piece of iron across the top of the driving axle box and between it and the engine frame, thus taking the weight of the engine on the frame instead of on the spring. Place also a block of iron between the end of the equalizing bar and the top of the engine frame, so as to prevent the movement of the equalizing bar, and to allow the spring at the other end of the equalizing bar to operate without moving the said bar. Every engineer should carry in his tool box pieces of metal suitable for this purpose, because this is a frequent accident. It does not, however, materially affect the working of the engine, and should not delay a train more than a few minutes.
Bursted Flues and Tubes.—These are usually plugged by tapering a piece of pine wood and driving it into the bursted tube by means of an iron bar. Taper iron plugs are often carried, and then driven into the end of the tube after the wooden one has been driven in. To enable this job to be done, it is necessary to thickly cover the fire with green coal, which operates to cool the tubes and prevent the loss of the water in the boiler. Sometimes careful engineers prepare for use pine plugs turned slightly taper, and a little slack, for the inside of the tube. In case of leak, this plug is inserted in the flue, and driven along it until it covers the fracture, the expansion due to its saturation causing it to become locked in the tube.