Thought this video was a pretty decent one. More train, less trees going by. Thanks Gary. Smooth sailing to the crew on this break in/run time. Sounds busy out there. Regards, John.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIpVibiDtRU

Thanks John,

Most interesting and enjoyable. Glad to see her move once again.

If you are able, locate a spec sheet on this one, she's actually got a longer combustion
chamber than any of the modern 4-8-4s, 90".

Tom -

Thanks for that info. I think those last 10 1949-built Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2's (which includes the 1309), were based on the original Chesapeake & Ohio blueprints. Did those also have the 90" combustion chamber? Or was that one of the "modern tweaks" applied to the engines?

Les

I'm with Tom on this one, interesting and enjoyable video, to say the least. Thanks for posting, John, and VIVA WMSR #1309 !!!

Les, I must apologize as i am unable to locate info on the entire class. It just struck me
as odd how deep the combustion chambers were on those locomotives.

Thanks a lot for posting the video. I am sure, WMSR is now heading in the right direction and the next seasons will be successful!

Mike

Interesting. The original USRA 2-6-6-2, on which this design was based, actually had an almost-as-impressive 84” combustion chamber.

Did someone ask for a specification sheet? Would a diagram do?



With it is a diagram for the lone H-4a, a former compound H-4 that was rebuilt as an experimental simple engine. Other than rearranging some tubes and flues for a bit more heating surface, the boiler essentially was unchanged. We do have a somewhat shorter combustion chamber in this one.

#1309 Firebox photo taken 16 August 2014 during the start of teardown.

I see there is an Over the fire jet system on this engine; the sound mufflers seem to be off or are there any?

I won't claim to be an expert, but it looks like the overfire jets and the mufflers are completely off the engine. All that's left are the openings for the secondary air. Anything going in through them is thanks to the engine's natural draft.

Just the openings ... from 19 November 2021 Test Run.

I've never been around this system; one can assume each jet is like a "tube" on an injector, or the front end exhaust nozzle and petticoat-pipe, moving air as instead of water?

The jets were as you might expect very small nozzles blowing steam in through the much larger ports through the water legs which were to force air over the firebed to combust the volatile gases given off by the coal - much as coking gave off gas usable for domestic use (lighting and cooking) in my grandfathers day. The turbulence also was to lead to mixing the air with the volatile gases to increase combustion efficiency. I understand they were loud.... but have never been around them in use. The draft from the front end should pull air in through the openings anyhow without jets.... I think it depends on the amount of coal you need to burn in a given amount of time as to whether the overfire draft needs the assistance of forcing more air in or not as well as the quality of the coal itself. Porta made much use of overfire air in his Gas Producer Firebox designs.

Where did you get this diagram from, if you don't mind my asking?