N&W in 1908 -- Engineer ingenuity

[NW Mailing List]

>From an efficiency standpoint a steam locomotive should be run on cutoff

alone and not on the throttle.  This can make starting a heavy train more
difficult since the torque diagram per revolution will not be as smooth.
But it does provide the most fuel and water savings by using full throttle
operation and running on the cutoff.

John Rhodes

Some engineers did this as routine.  I have heard of one who would actually
take the throttle lever off  and put it on the tender deck.

On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 9:42 PM, NW Mailing List
<nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>wrote:


>  Bluefield Daily Telegraph

> July 14, 1908

>

> IN CITY AND COALFIELD

> ------

> *Engine Throttle Broke*

> ------

>     A peculiar incident or accident happened on the train near Williamson

> recently.  Engineer Martin, going west, pulled the throttle, and as he did

> it broke.  He realized at once that if he pushed it back he could not pull

> it out again and the engine would be dead fifty miles from destination.  Mr.

> Martin was equial to the emergency and ran his train in on time by keeping

> the throttle open the entire distance, making all stops.  He used the air

> and reverse lever, but kept on a full head of steam.

> ------

> Gordon Hamilton

>

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