The 'Pioneer': Light Passenger Locomotive of 1851: United States Bulletin 240, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, paper 42, 1964White, John H.
History
The 'Pioneer': Light Passenger Locomotive of 1851: United States Bulletin 240, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, paper 42, 1964
White, John H.
Locomotives
The check valves are placed slightly below the centerline of the boiler
(fig. 18). These valves are an unfinished bronze casting and appear to
be of a recent pattern, probably dating from the 1901 renovation. At the
time the engine was built, it was usual to house these valves in an
ornamental spun-brass casing. The smokestack is of the bonnet type
commonly used on wood-burning locomotives in this country between about
1845 and 1870. The exhaust steam from the cylinders is directed up the
straight stack (shown in phantom in fig. 27) by the blast pipe. This
creates a partial vacuum in the smokebox that draws the fire, gases,
ash, and smoke through the boiler tubes from the firebox. The force of
the exhausting steam blows them out the stack. At the top of the
straight stack is a deflecting cone which slows the velocity of the
exhaust and changes its direction causing it to go down into the
funnel-shaped outer casing of the stack. Here, the heavy embers and
cinders are collected and prevented from directly discharging into the
countryside as dangerous firebrands. Wire netting is stretched overtop
of the deflecting cone to catch the lighter, more volatile embers which
may defy the action of the cone. The term "bonnet stack" results from
the fact that this netting is similar in shape to a lady's bonnet. The
cinders thus accumulated in the stack's hopper could be emptied by
opening a plug at the base of the stack.
While the deflecting cone was regarded highly as a spark arrester and
used practically to the exclusion of any other arrangement, it had the
basic defect of keeping the smoke low and close to the train. This was a
great nuisance to passengers, as the low trailing smoke blew into the
cars. If the exhaust had been allowed to blast straight out the stack
high into the air, most of the sparks would have burned out before
touching the ground.
[Illustration: Figure 21.--"PIONEER" ON EXHIBIT in old Arts and
Industries building of the Smithsonian Institution. In this view can be
seen the bonnet screen of the stack and arrangement of the boiler-frame
braces and other details not visible from the floor. (Smithsonian photo
48069A.)]
[Illustration: Figure 22.--"JENNY LIND," SISTER ENGINE of the _Pioneer_,
shown here as rebuilt in 1878 for use as an inspection engine. It was
scrapped in March 1905. (_Photo courtesy of E. P. Alexander._)]
[Illustration: Figure 23.--CYLINDER head with valve box removed.]
[Illustration: Figure 24.--BOTTOM of valve box with slide valve
removed.]
[Illustration: Figures 25 and 26.--CYLINDER with valve box removed,
showing valve face.]
FRAME
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