Steam Help, Please

I have several steam engines from K&L.

When running in 'realistic mode' from outside of the engine, my boiler pressure gets very low. My coal is at 115% and the water is at 77%.

How do I build boiler pressure back up, once it gets low?

I end up doing this in all of my steam engines when not running in DCC mode so I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.

I appreciate any suggestions (except using DCC)!

Excellent guide here:
Driving_the_9F.pdf

Hi Vol --

Keep the coal at less than 100%. Otherwise the coal in the firebox blocks the tubes, preventing the hot gasses heating the water.

Perhaps try one of my engine specs that are on the Download Station and used on the the steam locomotives I've uploaded. They are designed to work in Cab Mode and they might perform much better for you.

If they do and the issue then becomes one of the noise from the safety valves popping because of excess boiler pressure, and if this sound irritates the hell out of you (as it does me), consider editing the built-in Sounds file, or use this as a substitute:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tdz2p5euj7a0v49/aa Sounds_SafetyValveModified.cdp?dl=0

This file obsoletes the original and completely silences the safety valve sound.

Tell us how you go.

Phil

Thanks to both of you for your insights!

The document Ghost mentioned helped me understand a few things. I was able to get Boiler Pressure back up. Took about 30 minutes, though.

Phil, I'm going to try your suggestions today!

Thanks again, guys!
Mark

philskene said:

Hi Vol --

Keep the coal at less than 100%. Otherwise the coal in the firebox blocks the tubes, preventing the hot gasses heating the water.

Perhaps try one of my engine specs that are on the Download Station and used on the the steam locomotives I've uploaded. They are designed to work in Cab Mode and they might perform much better for you.

If they do and the issue then becomes one of the noise from the safety valves popping because of excess boiler pressure, and if this sound irritates the hell out of you (as it does me), consider editing the built-in Sounds file, or use this as a substitute:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tdz2p5euj7a0v49/aa Sounds_SafetyValveModified.cdp?dl=0

This file obsoletes the original and completely silences the safety valve sound.

Tell us how you go.

Phil

Click to expand...

Reality or Trainz Phil?

Desc: Ideal amount (kg) of coal to have in the firebox for optimal burning. This value will appear as "100%" on the interface, and will burn the best.

Click to expand...

100% fuel on the grate in Trainz is the optimal amount for combustion. The firebox will usually hold 200% of this amount. In any case both values for optimum and maximum are specified by the espec creator in the espec. I prefer especs developed specifically for each loco class. Taking from one and using it in another can result in differences in performance just due to difference in drive wheel diameters of the 2 locos. Especs have to be developed considering the total loco characteristics. Even in Trainz this does make a difference.

I had written a response to the OP but the doc Ghost linked to follows pretty much the same style of driving that I use - on the cutoff. In any case in the event of a stall or when all else fails the steam blower is your friend. Slow down or stop, lower the cutoff and turn the blower on full. I'd recommend you maintain the fuel on the grate at near 100% and unless the water is below 60 - 50% shut the injector off so you get the most heat into evaporating water. Then just wait for the pressure to build back up.

Bob Pearson

Hi Bob --

There is nothing that you say that I disagree with. It's certainly best if the espec is tailor made to a particular class of locomotive and thus reflects real world driving experience. And, yes, drive with full regulator (thus getting the full boiler pressure on the pistons in the cylinders) and control speed by varying the cut-off.

Unfortunately some/many of the steam locomotives I've downloaded from the Download Station or purchased from third party sites in no way respond to correct driving techniques. Hence my suggestion to the original poster to consider the two that I have on the Download Station.

Could you perhaps suggest specific especs that might help Vol? Ones that would give him and others a satisfying experience as a novice Cab Mode Locomotive Engineer.

Phil