I was riding the TSRR #400 a few months ago and they were having foaming problems. You could actually hear the whistle gargling. This made me wonder, can you always hear foaming in the whistles of most engines? Is this ever used as an indicator of foarming? and Is this another good reason to have the whistle get its steam from the dome and not superheated, so it can be used to hear if foam is forming?

thanks
Alan

adofmsu@aol.com

> I was riding the TSRR #400 a few months ago
> and they were having foaming problems. You
> could actually hear the whistle gargling.
> This made me wonder, can you always hear
> foaming in the whistles of most engines? Is
> this ever used as an indicator of foarming?
> and Is this another good reason to have the
> whistle get its steam from the dome and not
> superheated, so it can be used to hear if
> foam is forming?

> thanks
> Alan

By the time it gets to the whistle,foam is already present. foam can be caused by a variety of things,including changing water treatments,or changing the water supply.
To beat foaming,you ned to blow down a lot while running,in some cases every two,three miles and keep a fresh supply of water coming in till you get her to stop foaming.
You also have to run her a little more conservaatively lest you lift the foam into the drypipe and whistle and superheaters. It also requires a real awareness of where you water is above the crownsheet...foam will cause the water to"lift" and actually be showing higher than it really is. This is especially important on a hilly line like the Texas State.

It's been my experience that most locomotives foam more towards then end of the washout cycle due to the scale still left in the boiler during the previous operation before the washout. hope that information helps.

kbcotton@flash.net

Thanks Kenneth for replying. I was begining to think Id never get a response from anyone.

maybe Im asking stupid questions...

Alan

adofmsu@aol.com

> Thanks Kenneth for replying. I was begining
> to think Id never get a response from
> anyone.

> maybe Im asking stupid questions...

> Alan

Alan:

There is no stupid question..........The refusal to ask a question about something can be stupid or hazardous.......

kbcotton@flash.net