Just wondering why, after playing with train simulators forever and a day, why we always seem to want our engines to have lots of smoke. The last thing a good fireman or engineer wants to see is black smoke, poor combustion. Diesels,why do we want lots of smoke. It usually means the engine isn't working properly or you need to get a better mechanic, last thing I ever wanted to see on my haul trucks was a smokey engine when it was pulling a grade. I gess Alcos would be an exception, never seen one yet that didnt look like a poorly fired steam engine. With an Alco you just kept it out of your wood lined tunnels or kept a fire truck nearby. I have to admit however that I,m just as guilty I like smoke.
Smoke! Smoke, and more Smoke!
- Thread starter GeorgeCW
- Start date
steamboateng
New member
Diesel engines will make dark smoke when first started and when accellerated. Black smoke is an indicator poor combustion; i.e. a lack of oxygen. The turbo-charger, either direct engine driven or exhaust gas turbine driven, momentarily cannot provide the oxygen required to efficiently burn the fuel injected during startup and acceleration. This is fairly common to all diesels. A deisel contiuously beching dark smoke has a turbo-charger problem, or faulty piston rings. Faulty rings will leak by excessive lube oil which burns with a blue-grayish haze.
Proper maintenence at qualified Trainz facilities, should alleviate the problem!
Proper maintenence at qualified Trainz facilities, should alleviate the problem!
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I'm not keen on black smoke emitting from all locos, and am trying to get a bit of variation into the textures.
Here's my attempt at the exhaust of a steam loco that's working well on a summers day.
I read somewhere that the GWR had a word with drivers who let their locos slip or make smoke.
Chris.
Here's my attempt at the exhaust of a steam loco that's working well on a summers day.
I read somewhere that the GWR had a word with drivers who let their locos slip or make smoke.
Chris.
jjanmarine3
Active member
This post brings back so many good memories.
I worked on steam, diesel and electric locomotives.
Smoke and steam go together .
Here are a few of my memories and I am sure some guys will relate.
Often firemen would complain that their babelas ( a word we use here for a hangover after the party ) driver blew all their hard work out the smoke stack by using full regulator and cutoff unnesscessory.
I remember cold nights on night shifts, the steam loco's in the sheds with their dynamo's singing softly and steam hisses from little leaks all over, and me catching forty winks in the drivers seat.I often used to look at the washout plug on the boiler in front of me and think...if that plug blows out now, I won't even know about it....
When the spark arrestors in the smoke box had holes in them, the coal sparks would fly out the stack into the veld and set it afire, and then there came the farmers claims of their best pedigree stock that had died in the fires.
Then there are the GM and GE diesels with their cold starts , missing noisy engines and billowing black smoke till the temperature is up a bit.
One GM diesel refused to start in the shed one day after heavy overhaul maintenance , after many attempts , spraying easy start , and applyiing jumper cables to help swing the starter motors it started , the volatile fumes had gathered under the shed roof and the fumes exploded with one terrific bang and smoke and flames. It took about one full minute of silence before the first faces appeared from behind their hiding places...
On the electric units I only saw smoke when the tranformers blew up or when the brakes were on for some reason and the red hot brake blocks would catch fire , sparks and smoke trailing behind the train at night. Cool stuff.
I worked on steam, diesel and electric locomotives.Smoke and steam go together .
Here are a few of my memories and I am sure some guys will relate.
Often firemen would complain that their babelas ( a word we use here for a hangover after the party ) driver blew all their hard work out the smoke stack by using full regulator and cutoff unnesscessory.
I remember cold nights on night shifts, the steam loco's in the sheds with their dynamo's singing softly and steam hisses from little leaks all over, and me catching forty winks in the drivers seat.I often used to look at the washout plug on the boiler in front of me and think...if that plug blows out now, I won't even know about it....
When the spark arrestors in the smoke box had holes in them, the coal sparks would fly out the stack into the veld and set it afire, and then there came the farmers claims of their best pedigree stock that had died in the fires.
Then there are the GM and GE diesels with their cold starts , missing noisy engines and billowing black smoke till the temperature is up a bit.
One GM diesel refused to start in the shed one day after heavy overhaul maintenance , after many attempts , spraying easy start , and applyiing jumper cables to help swing the starter motors it started , the volatile fumes had gathered under the shed roof and the fumes exploded with one terrific bang and smoke and flames. It took about one full minute of silence before the first faces appeared from behind their hiding places...
On the electric units I only saw smoke when the tranformers blew up or when the brakes were on for some reason and the red hot brake blocks would catch fire , sparks and smoke trailing behind the train at night. Cool stuff.
jjanmarine3
Active member
This post brings back so many good memories. I worked on steam, diesel and electric locomotives.
Smoke and steam go together .
Here are a few of my memories and I am sure some guys will relate.
Often firemen would complain that their babelas ( a word we use here for a hangover after the party ) driver blew all their hard work out the smoke stack by using full regulator and cutoff unnesscessory.
I remember cold nights on night shifts, the steam loco's in the sheds with their dynamo's singing softly and steam hisses from little leaks all over, and me catching forty winks in the drivers seat.I often used to look at the washout plug on the boiler in front of me and think...if that plug blows out now, I won't even know about it....
When the spark arrestors in the smoke box had holes in them, the coal sparks would fly out the stack into the veld and set it afire, and then there came the farmers claims of their best pedigree stock that had died in the fires.
Then there are the GM and GE diesels with their cold starts , missing noisy engines and billowing black smoke till the temperature is up a bit.
One GM diesel refused to start in the shed one day after heavy overhaul maintenance , after many attempts , spraying easy start , and applyiing jumper cables to help swing the starter motors it started , the volatile fumes had gathered under the shed roof and the fumes exploded with one terrific bang and smoke and flames. It took about one full minute of silence before the first faces appeared from behind their hiding places...
On the electric units I only saw smoke when the tranformers blew up or when the brakes were on for some reason and the red hot brake blocks would catch fire , sparks and smoke trailing behind the train at night. Cool stuff.
I worked on steam, diesel and electric locomotives.Smoke and steam go together .
Here are a few of my memories and I am sure some guys will relate.
Often firemen would complain that their babelas ( a word we use here for a hangover after the party ) driver blew all their hard work out the smoke stack by using full regulator and cutoff unnesscessory.
I remember cold nights on night shifts, the steam loco's in the sheds with their dynamo's singing softly and steam hisses from little leaks all over, and me catching forty winks in the drivers seat.I often used to look at the washout plug on the boiler in front of me and think...if that plug blows out now, I won't even know about it....
When the spark arrestors in the smoke box had holes in them, the coal sparks would fly out the stack into the veld and set it afire, and then there came the farmers claims of their best pedigree stock that had died in the fires.
Then there are the GM and GE diesels with their cold starts , missing noisy engines and billowing black smoke till the temperature is up a bit.
One GM diesel refused to start in the shed one day after heavy overhaul maintenance , after many attempts , spraying easy start , and applyiing jumper cables to help swing the starter motors it started , the volatile fumes had gathered under the shed roof and the fumes exploded with one terrific bang and smoke and flames. It took about one full minute of silence before the first faces appeared from behind their hiding places...
On the electric units I only saw smoke when the tranformers blew up or when the brakes were on for some reason and the red hot brake blocks would catch fire , sparks and smoke trailing behind the train at night. Cool stuff.