The Backyard Railroader

Jeff Frost works at the Strasburg Rail Road, in Strasburg, Pennsylvania as a machinist, mechanic, engineer, fireman, and conductor. He also helps maintain their engines and operates the 90" wheel lathe.

Table of Contents


Preface

Abbreviations

Safety Is Rule No. 1

Basic Machine Shop Safety

Basic Welding/Torching Safety

Basic Safety with the Track and Riding

Basic Safety with Running Trains

Safety Summary

Getting Started

To Buy or to Build?

Buying a Steam Engine

Casting Kit versus Building from Scratch

Track Basics

Book Knowledge versus Experience

Suppliers

Operating a Steam Engine

Basic Checklist for Operating My Steam Engines

Water Level in the Boiler

Basics of Coal Burners

Basics of Oil Burners

Sanding the Flues

Basics of Propane Burners

Firing by Landmarks

Speed

Water Behavior in the Boiler

Carry Over versus Foaming

Hooking Up an Engine

Hooking Up, Compression and Knocking in the Rods

Boilers

Water Glass Safety

Water Treatment

Fusible Plugs

Boiler Anodes

Boiler Washes

Water Circulation in the Boiler

Stored Energy in the Boiler

Lessons from Gettysburg

Signs and Dangers of Low Water

Valve Gear

Dead Centers

Lap and Lead

Setting Stephenson Valve Gear

Setting Walschaert Valve Gear

Inside versus Outside Admission versus Indirect Motion

Steam Blowing through the Piston and Valves

Uneven Exhausts (Out of Square)

Adjusting the Valve Gear on the 4-6-0

Building Walschaert Valve Gear for the 4-6-0

Lead and Lap/Combination Lever

Rebuilding the Valve Gear

Systems, Improvements and Why Things Are Done in Certain Ways

Potential Reasons for a Poor Steaming Engine

Helping an Engine Become a Better Steamer

Firebox Arch

Large Scale Atomizers

Drafting

Personal Experience with Axle Pumps and Injectors

Tires

Automatic Cylinder Cocks

Replacing a Crank Pin … and Then Some

Piston Problems and Lessons in Threading

When There Is No Water in the Glass … Some Food for Thought

Revisiting Retubing the Mikado

Making an 0-4-0 into a 2-4-0

Equalizing

Lubrication for the Cylinders

Throw, Quarter, Side Rods and Such

Wheels and Trucks

Basic Lights

Dynamo

Grates and Ashpan

Learning Oil Firing on a 15" Gauge 4-4-2

Propane

Long Track, or a Short Loop

The Bigger the Better, Right?

Equalized Brakes

Sanders on the 2-4-0

My Experiences in the Hobby

The Shay

The 0-4-0/2-4-0

The Mikado

The ­Ten-Wheeler

General Improvements

Leaving Home

Our Engines

Rebuilding the Spirit of Traverse City

Getting Back into the Hobby

Introducing People to the Hobby

Appendix A. Major Parts of a Steam Locomotive

Appendix B. Common Questions

Appendix C. Common Myths

Appendix D. Inspections

Appendix E. Tractive Effort and What an Engine Can Pull

Index