Can you hear a difference between a saturated and superheated engine?

If you were blindfolded, could you tell them apart from their sound?

thanks
Alan

adofmsu@aol.com

1522 is superheated and yes, some mainline engines were built saturated, mostly before WW I. Superheated steam meant quantum leaps in related technologies such as piston valves and lubricants and Walschaerts and Baker gears to make use of the higher temperature and more expansive steam.

Exhaust beats from superheated locomotives are generally considered "crisper" than those from saturated locomotives - the expansion of the exhaust from the blast pipe has more latent energy to release.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> Can you hear a difference between a
> saturated and superheated engine?

> If you were blindfolded, could you tell them
> apart from their sound?

> thanks
> Alan

Alan; To answer that question fairly it would have to be qualified. This being due to the fact that frequently it was possible to tell what engine was coming by the sounds it made running.
My kids could recognize the M&I 105 even when they had their nose in a comic book. Knowing what engine was coming you knew if it was superheated.
If it was an engine you had never heard before it
was usually pretty obvious whether or not it was superheated. Admittedly part of this could have been due to the fact that most of the SH engines also carried a higher boiler pressure.
Generally the difference would be that between a " Whoof-Whoof-" and a " Whap-Whap".
Does that make sense? Hope so. Jim

rrfanjim@mvn.net

> Alan; To answer that question fairly it
> would have to be qualified. This being due
> to the fact that frequently it was possible
> to tell what engine was coming by the sounds
> it made running.
> My kids could recognize the M&I 105 even
> when they had their nose in a comic book.
> Knowing what engine was coming you knew if
> it was superheated.
> If it was an engine you had never heard
> before it
> was usually pretty obvious whether or not it
> was superheated. Admittedly part of this
> could have been due to the fact that most of
> the SH engines also carried a higher boiler
> pressure.
> Generally the difference would be that
> between a " Whoof-Whoof-" and a
> " Whap-Whap".
> Does that make sense? Hope so. Jim

OK Jim, you got me! What the heck was M&I 105?

midlandblb@cs.com

Dear Allan,

I'm not Jim, but I think I can field this one. The M&I, or "Mike and Ike" was the Missouri and Illinois. They were a short line, which at least late in their life was owned by the Missouri Pacific. They ran what, as I recall, was the last ferry opperation across the Mississippi, between Ste. Genevive Missouri and the adjacent Illinois side. I believe their opperation was discontinued in the late fifties. They had a fairly small roster as I recall, (one or two light freight locos, and perhaps a switcher or two,) and so if one lived close to their line, he or she would become quite familiar with the power that passed by.

Sincerely,
David Ackerman

david_ackeran@yahoo.com

> Dear Allan,

> I'm not Jim, but I think I can field this
> one. The M&I, or "Mike and
> Ike" was the Missouri and Illinois.
> They were a short line, which at least late
> in their life was owned by the Missouri
> Pacific. They ran what, as I recall, was the
> last ferry opperation across the
> Mississippi, between Ste. Genevive Missouri
> and the adjacent Illinois side. I believe
> their opperation was discontinued in the
> late fifties. They had a fairly small roster
> as I recall, (one or two light freight
> locos, and perhaps a switcher or two,) and
> so if one lived close to their line, he or
> she would become quite familiar with the
> power that passed by.

> Sincerely,
> David Ackerman

David: Thank you. I seem to recall reading somewhere about the ferry operation. Seemed as if they had a neat little boat that operated the service as I remember.


midlandblb@cs.com