Question about steam

[Richard320]

We were discussing model trains this afternoon and my father-in-law asked me a question of which I have no clue how to answer. He said in the 1940s in Mexico the train would pull into the station, and somewhere mid-locomotive, they would spray a bunch of hot water out, which the women would catch in their buckets. I thought it might be preheating the cylinders or something after it had been sitting, but he said it was right after they pulled in. He was unsure if it was when they were refilling the water from the tank.

Anybody got any idea why a steam locomotive would dump a bunch of hot water?

[Lownen]

Anybody got any idea why a steam locomotive would dump a bunch of hot water?

To relieve the pressure in the boiler and clear the lines. I have a video on running a steam locomotive which explains it better, but I can't find it at the moment to give you the title. I'm sure someone here can though.

[Ironhorseman]

Depending upon the boiler pressure, water temps are somewhere between 350 - 400 degrees F. I doubt there is any way a human being can 'catch the hot water in a bucket' without suffering fatal burns. If they did, they're alot tougher than I. :D

Normally, opening the "blow-down valve" is done to clean out the "mud ring", which is around the bottom of the firebox where impurities migrate from minerals in the boiling water within the boiler. And ... that water is normally full of mud. Not really good for drinking or other uses. :)

[OC Engineer JD]

They could have been getting water from the injectors. You can start the priming of the injectors and if you don't wait for it to properly prime and move the lever forward you can get water spraying out. This is coming right from the tender so it would not be hot and could be caught without hurting ones self. :)

[OC Engineer JD]

Here's a great picture of what I am talking about. This is me getting 4-8-4 6325 ready to run and you can see water coming out of the injector as this photo was taken. This was actually a bad injector, leaking, but what I said in the first posting would look the same.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/Disk1Pictures_5916.jpg

[BarstowRick]

Typically a locomotive would pull in and purge the system as already described by Ironhorseman. Getting hot water from the locomotive is possible but I don't recall it being practiced. There was a cycle the water went through before it was blown out the stack as steam. You would need to have a capture system to collect the condensation, cool it and then give it to the ladies.

What Jerry is talking about above is a possibility. He can tell you more about this procedure.

I'm not saying it didn't happen just that in my best recollection of listening to family stories from two kettle hoggers and one captain...I don't recall them ever telling of such.

Interesting and certainly worth some research. From what geographical location did the story come out of?

[RRfan]

mabie it has something to do with the air brakes from where it is coming out by that little contraption
that little contraption looks like a air compressor or uuuuuuuu wait i think i am wrong well thats my guess

[fitz]

I think Jerry's right, and if it was in Mexico, the hogger probably knew the women and was helping them to get some hot water. The injector water wouldn't be hot enough to harm them.
What a concept, helping others.
:tb-biggrin:

[Ironhorseman]

Hmmm ... maybe so ... but even if you get H2O directly from the tender you stlll have to possibly deal with chemical additives and what all. I personally would not like to drink that water. But, then again ... if you can drink water in Mexico without any ill effects, I guess one could drink loco water. :D

Nice pic Jerry. That loco is a beauty! :thumbs_up:

[Richard320]

Thanks for all the answers. Now it's clear as mud!:tb-wink:

The good news is, my father-in-law has probably already forgotten he asked.

[Ironhorseman]

Laughing out loud! LOL

[Ed M]

I think Jerry's right, and if it was in Mexico, the hogger probably knew the women and was helping them to get some hot water. The injector water wouldn't be hot enough to harm them.
What a concept, helping others.
I was traveling down here last week and so I'm late to the thread. This is exactly the situation. It was common down here for women in the countryside to come to the station to get hot water from the locomotives. Remember that you're talking about people living out in rural areas where they had no running water (most likely community wells), no plumbing and no hot water heaters. getting hot water from the train saved them time and firewood.

You can see a photo of this in the book "NdeM in Color" by Morning Sun Books, on page 8.

Regards

Ed
.

[Richard320]

I was traveling down here last week and so I'm late to the thread. This is exactly the situation. It was common down here for women in the countryside to come to the station to get hot water from the locomotives. Remember that you're talking about people living out in rural areas where they had no running water (most likely community wells), no plumbing and no hot water heaters. getting hot water from the train saved them time and firewood.

You can see a photo of this in the book "NdeM in Color" by Morning Sun Books, on page 8.

Regards

Ed
.Now I have an answer that will satisfy the old man.