Electric
v Live steam locos
There
is a great deal of difference in the preparation
required between running electric and live steam.
Before
a run
Electric
just needs to be put on a cleaned track , power up
the controller and make the loco move.
With
live steam assuming a gas fired system you have to
:-
- top
up the steam oil reservoir,
- fill
the boiler with water and remove a specified
amount to give space for steam to form,
- fill
the gas tank,
- put
the reverser in neutral gear and
- set
the regulator at closed.
After
all that has been done you can light the burner
and wait about 15 minutes for the water to boil
and the pressure to rise to about 40psi or the
designed pressure of the boiler. The safety
value will "blow off" and exhausted the excess
water and the loco is ready to pull its load of
trucks and / or coaches.
The
reverser is put into the forward position and the
regulator is "cracked" open !! Cracked open
means open just a little as the live steam locos
generally have much more power readily available,
than an electric loco, and can easily rush off
down the line....
If
you have radio control of the operation of the
reverser and regulator then you have full control
of the loco and can ease open the regulator to
gain more speed or reduce to slow down the loco.
Without
radio control it is a matter of chasing round
after the loco and open and close the regulator as
required. If the track is level then the setting
of the regulator can mean that the loco can go
round the track without much further attention.
The
use of radio control with the live steam means
that even if the track goes up and down hills you
can keep the loco and its train to a generally
constant speed by the use of the regulator just as
you can the electric speed controller.
After
a run
With
an electric loco a quick check over is all that is
needed - oiling any moving parts but avoiding oil
on electrical contacts.
But
with the live steam loco after the burner has used
up all the gas in the tank and it has come to a
stop a check must be made that:-
- the
boiler is emptied of water that
- the
reverser is left in the neutral position and
- the
regulator in a cracked open position and
- the
gas tank valve is left open.
It
is wise to load the steam oil reservoir whilst the
loco is warm as the oil thick steam oil flows much
better.
A light oil over of all moving part is a
wise precaution and other areas can be also
cleaned with a lightly oiled rag mixed with
paraffin 1:1
Let
the loco cool right down before putting away else
condensation can form.
Running electric and live steam locos at the same
time
If
the Live steam loco has insulated wheels then both
live steam loco and electric loco can be run
at the same time there by enhancing the fun you
can have as both can run :-
- forwards
and backwards and,
- stop
and start again.
The
steam loco has a run time of about fifteen minutes
between gas and water fills quite enough time
before having a break leaving the electric loco to
keep running.
WARNING
This information is no substitute for
instruction from manufactures for both
electric and live steam locos and as G Scale
Kent has no control over your operation of
locos cannot accept responsibility for any
mishaps howsoever they occur.
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