12-29-2008, 09:10 PM
Oil burners...
Most locomotives since the mid 1870s have been either oil burners or coal. Not all that many engines have been converted to oil...usually those whose operators don't want to have to deal with having a crane or conveyor to load coal. The decision to use oil or coal historically was more of a geographical than technological choice. Today, it is a convenience decision.
The 4449 was built as an oil burner. I believe the 3751 was as well. On the contrary, the well known eastern excursion locomotives 611, 765, 614, and 4501 have always burned coal. Some railroads used both coal and oil...but typically in different locations. The Southern Pacific's cab forward 2-8-8-4s which were used in the Sierras were oil burners...but their cab normal 2-8-8-4s which ran in New Mexico were coal burners.
A notable example of a locomotive converted to burn oil and then back again would be the Eureka & Palisades #4. This is the engine which someone earlier in the thread mentioned as belonging to the Durango and Silverton (it doesn't). While she has recently become well known from her visits to Durango and Chama, she was actually in sorry shape 20+ years ago. Her owner, Las Vegas attorney Dan Markoff, restored her to her as built appearance...and to burning wood (which was an antiquated fuel choice when she was built in the mid-1870s). She also has two surviving kin...one at Sacramento and one in Washington DC.
The Colorado & Southern narrow gauge of Colorado was a 3' gauge subsidiary of the Burlington. The road did not have any coal on the line after 1910, and converted one coal burner to oil to see if there would be any cost savings. This lone oil burner ran alongside coal burners throughout the 1930s. It wasn't successful enough to convert any other locomotives, but not unsuccessful enough to be converted back to coal.
Another interesting tidbit is that the Promontory point replicas of the 119 and Jupiter were built 30 years ago as oil burners. Apparently, this caused some problems and they were then rebuilt to burn the fuels of the original 119 and Jupiter of 1869...coal and wood respectively.
Most locomotives since the mid 1870s have been either oil burners or coal. Not all that many engines have been converted to oil...usually those whose operators don't want to have to deal with having a crane or conveyor to load coal. The decision to use oil or coal historically was more of a geographical than technological choice. Today, it is a convenience decision.
The 4449 was built as an oil burner. I believe the 3751 was as well. On the contrary, the well known eastern excursion locomotives 611, 765, 614, and 4501 have always burned coal. Some railroads used both coal and oil...but typically in different locations. The Southern Pacific's cab forward 2-8-8-4s which were used in the Sierras were oil burners...but their cab normal 2-8-8-4s which ran in New Mexico were coal burners.
A notable example of a locomotive converted to burn oil and then back again would be the Eureka & Palisades #4. This is the engine which someone earlier in the thread mentioned as belonging to the Durango and Silverton (it doesn't). While she has recently become well known from her visits to Durango and Chama, she was actually in sorry shape 20+ years ago. Her owner, Las Vegas attorney Dan Markoff, restored her to her as built appearance...and to burning wood (which was an antiquated fuel choice when she was built in the mid-1870s). She also has two surviving kin...one at Sacramento and one in Washington DC.
The Colorado & Southern narrow gauge of Colorado was a 3' gauge subsidiary of the Burlington. The road did not have any coal on the line after 1910, and converted one coal burner to oil to see if there would be any cost savings. This lone oil burner ran alongside coal burners throughout the 1930s. It wasn't successful enough to convert any other locomotives, but not unsuccessful enough to be converted back to coal.
Another interesting tidbit is that the Promontory point replicas of the 119 and Jupiter were built 30 years ago as oil burners. Apparently, this caused some problems and they were then rebuilt to burn the fuels of the original 119 and Jupiter of 1869...coal and wood respectively.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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