C&TSRR #484 Strange Sound TodaySomebody told me the train was late and had had a problem so I decided to head for Cumbres Pass and get a few photos on a overcast day.I tooks a few short videos with sound and let me tell you the engine was making a real strange sound. I have never heard anything like it but I don't know anything about steam engines.Photos & Short Videos with sound available. Click on the link below.http://chamachoochoo.com/discussion/train8-7-05/trains8-7-05.htm

That is a weird sound. I've never heard anything like it before on a steamer. Sounds a little like the guys driving drywall screws in my office today.It seems to be occurring once per revolution of the drivers. Sounds to me like something in the running gear is rubbing. Bent rod somewhere? Brake shoe rubbing? Slipped tire? It doesn't seem to have affected the exhaust so I don't think it's in the motion. Then again, she does sound a little out of square in one of the clips -- but the rubbing sound is absent in that one.

Sounds a bit like some bad packing on one of the cylinders. I have heard similar, and even sranger, sounds from various packing glands on different locations on a locomotive. Look at the cylinder and piston valve packings. It does not sound like the air pump due to the uniform cyclic repetition. Please let us know the cause of the noise once it is determined. It might be interesting.

I was unable to download from the link provided, but the descriptions people have made cause for me to ask, is this a kind of whistle sound? Like a squeak? Every fourth power pulse? If so, think leaking valve. Not necessarly immediately serious, but probably would need some ring work on a valve spool. If it isn't that, then nevermind. Mark D.

It's more of a medium-pitched buzzing sound that changes in pitch through about half an octave -- kind of a "whoop whoop whoop" sound. It sounds to me like it has more of a mechanical source than a leaky seal -- it's not high enough to be a steam or air leak IMHO, and it doesn't sound like a raced bearing either. But then I'm no expert. Defintely associated with the running gear because it's in time with the exhaust, once every fourth beat. I still think it sounds like a rod rubbing on something.I'd be very interested to know the real answer, too!

My SLOW dialup connection won't let me listen, but the sound of the comments lead me to consider either rod packing or cylinder cock troubles as likely candidates. Please do let us know.dave

I was told about a hour ago it was cylinder Packing....

I think the packing ran dry from lack of lubrication from the mechanical lubricator. It either ran out or had a blockage and wouldnt' pump. The crew came out and fixed it so it wasn't to bad.Tom C.