Feedwater Heaters revisited

**fitz** · #1 June 24th, 2003, 03:35 AM

In this photo of the New York Central Mohawk 3001, taken by Maurice Lewman, you can see some of the plumbing to the Worthington type Feedwater heater, as there is a panel removed from the smokebox. Who can tell us about the plumbing and the heater?

[ 07. February 2004, 22:23: Message edited by: fitz ]

**fitz** · #2 June 25th, 2003, 07:17 AM

Hmm, the response is underwhelming. I would say that the big pipe exposed under that removed panel is the feed water (therefore the feedwater heater). The pump is just above and behind the cylinder, pumping water from the tender. Now, what is the smaller line for?

[ 25. June 2003, 02:19: Message edited by: fitz ]

**signalguy** · #3 June 25th, 2003, 08:19 AM

Sorry Fitz, but I don't have the slightest idea how it works. Have you checked the photos I posted on the steam board?

**fitz** · #4 June 25th, 2003, 10:18 AM

Gil, yessir, I saw those photos you posted, and they are good stuff. Did you see that I reposted your terrific N&W shot?

**signalguy** · #5 June 25th, 2003, 06:27 PM

I saw the N&W Fitz and added the 844 and 3985 double headed leaving Reno for the 99 Sacto Railfair.

LEW · #6 June 26th, 2003, 11:51 AM

The large pipe coming from the superheater to the pump is the supply
pipe. On the other side ,or the engineers side, is the steam pipe from the cylinders to heat the water.You will notice a smaller pipe coming from the top of the pump,this goes to the boiler check valve on top of the boiler.The water from the pump is at around 200 degrees as it enters the boiler.
This takes care of the final phase
but how does the water get to the
superheater? Fitz has a picture of the cab and below the cab you will
notice a pump.This is the cold water pump or the pump that supplies the
superheater with water from the tender.When the fireman opens the
control valve in the cab the hot water pump starts first opening the steam valve to the superheater and allowing more cold water to come in
to be heated as the pump supplies the boiler,the fireman controlling
the amount of water he needs for the operation.
There is a drifting valve that only allows the pump to operate at half speed when the engineer is operating
in a drifting mode.There are also
check valves that will prevent pulling water into the cylinders if
the throttle is closed suddenly.This is a type SA pump. LEW

**Alan** · #7 June 27th, 2003, 03:53 AM

Where is the previous thread on feedwater heaters? They are something we did not have in the UK (except for a few test cases), so they are of interest to me.

Some of them look great, but I do NOT like Coffin heaters!

**fitz** · #8 June 27th, 2003, 06:15 AM

Alan, I apologize. When I went back to the old New York Central archives (now under Conrail Predecessors), I found that we were discussing injectors, not feedwater heaters, the other source of water from the tender to the boiler. Senility is wonderful.

Anyway it's there, last post 4 Jan 03. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Thanks LEW for the explanation. It's great when someone who really knows how these systems worked because he operated the locomotives can explain them to us. It's appreciated, LEW.

Now, here is LEW's photo of the cold water pump just behind the trailing truck of the Mohawk, the first stage in getting water to the heater.

[ 07. February 2004, 22:27: Message edited by: fitz ]

LEW · #9 June 27th, 2003, 08:23 AM

I have a case of, what am I talking
about.I am calling the feedwater heater a superheater in my explanation, please forgive. LEW

**fitz** · #10 February 8th, 2004, 03:29 AM

I just resurrected these photos from the old railimages files, so have decided to bring one of the "techie" articles back to the forum for new comments.

How about some?

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