Basic steam fiirng instructions

I was wondering if anyone here could post some very basic, "no-brainer" instructions for how to fire & run a live steam Tich loco?

Brief history: I have mainly modelled in 00 and HO during the past 10 years. My 11-year-old son & I have visited a live steam club for 8-9 years but, in the past 2-3 years, we have become members & have enjoyed helping out. We've also had a chance to drive a few of the high-line locos, so we do have some knowledge of how to fire and drive live steam models -- actually, I think my son knows more than I do!

Someone has just kindly loaned us a Tich loco. While there are many folks at the club who would help us, we'd like to get it running here at home -- mainly to practice and become more familiar with it.

Would anyone be able to post some very basic operating instructions for how to fire this loco, or send me a link where I could find this? I've done some searching but, so far, haven't been able to find anything helpful.

We've been advised to purchase some charcoal and barbeque lighter fluid. Some of the charcoal -- to get the loco started -- should be pre-soaked in the lighter fluid.

Thanks in advance for any advice or feedback!

Rob

Edited By RobertInOntario on 19/06/2014 21:28:48

Edited By RobertInOntario on 19/06/2014 21:30:51

Robert;

Ok - where are you located in Ontario? (which club will you be trying this out?)

To start Tich.

1) Acquire Kerosene. Canadian Tire, camping section is one place.

2) Acquire the "chunks" of charcoal - the bits that are made of real wood. Canadian Tire sells this stuff in blue bags, in the barbequeue section.

3) get smaller chunks, put in a container, soak with kerosene. (the smaller chunks are always at the bottom of the bag&hellip

4) You'll need a steam raising blower. Plus battery. Try it out, make sure it works.

5) Find a teaspoon, plus a small container for coal/charcoal on your riding car.

6) put bits of kerosene soaked charcoal into firebox. Fill it as full as you can get it.

7) ensure you have about 1/2 glass of water - more is fine.

8) turn on electric blower.

9) apply flame (propane lighter, $1.97 or so from Canadian Tire) into firebox. Kerosene will light.

10) keep door open for a few seconds, to ensure that the fire is really lit, then close it, but maybe keep it open a tiny bit. (if closed, the fire might go out, but when charcoal is burning, it'll be ok)

11) when charcoal is burning, add more charcoal (NON kerosene soaked charcoal bits) to fire.

12) You should be good to go. In a few minutes, you should see the water in the gauge glass start bouncing around a bit, then you are close to having the time of your life.

Like all good things, firing Tich takes a bit of getting used to. But, when you get it, it's fun! I enjoy my (almost worn out) Tich more than larger locomotives; to me they are a bore. BUT, for the first 1/2 dozen times out, I did not have ANY luck with Tich, so if at first you don't succeed, try again.

You should be able to to fire on charcoal, but small coal is best. If you know Eric Motton, ask him about small bits of coal, he *might* be able to help out. (again, not knowing where you are)

JohnS.

Rob - looking through older posts from 2013; you should be able to find Eric Motton at your club north of Toronto. David Powell might also be able to help, as I'm sure others will, too. I use Welsh Steam coal, which our club (Ottawa) purchased about a decade ago now.

My Tich just flies along, until the bottom row of tubes get blocked by ash in the smokebox, then it's a bit slower to steam. Tich will not stay in steam for a long time, which is fine, as you can then put it on a siding and then socialize!

JohnS.

Thanks, John -- this info is very helpful! I just sent you a PM as well. Cheers, Rob

The reason for using kerosene instead fo lighter fluid is that it is easier to see the flame.

You might find the power of the blower blows out the flame initially so may need to fit a sort of variable choke to it to control it for the first minute or two. It doesn't hurt a fan of this kind to be totally blocked as its air is not cooling the motor. On the other hand if you find in the first minute with the kerosene soaked fuel you are getting white smoke this means the draught is too low and the kerosene is just being evaporated and not burning.

It is easier to start with wood. Cut a lump of softwood to 1/4 in shorter than the length of the firebox and then split into pencil sized bits. This is much easier to load into the firebox. Stick it in a plastic food box with the kerosene overnight to soak it up. Don't use a glass jar as you will knock it over five minutes after you tell someone that you won't.

Just because the loco is small doesn't mean it runs on coal dust. Use a 1/4 inch garden sieve to remove the dust. Lumps up to almond in shell size are fine.

Around instruction 12 above when you see about 20lbs on the pressure gauge you can open the blower and remove the fan as near simultaneously as possible. If children are present control your swearing as you realise how hot the fan is.

At the end of the session while there is still pressure open the blowdown valve to let out about 10% of the water and take any crap from the bottom of the boiler. Then drop the fire grate out and open the blower a little to let off the remaining pressure. Make sure you leave the blower open to allow air back into the bolier when it cools.

BBQ lighter fuel is preferable to soak the charcoal in as produces less smoke and less obnoxious fumes.

if you have LBSC's book on building TICH then the Master's description of lighting up and driving same cant be bettered and deserves re-reading as many times as you fancy!

cheers,

julian

Hi Robert

Thre is a very comprehensive article on exactly this scrolling at the top of the home page just now. Steam Locomotive Management by Steve Addy.

Diane

**LINK**

Thanks, Julian! I'll see how this works out ... I'll try to get over to Canadian Tire or Home Depot, hopefully tomorrow.

I've just bought some wood charcoal and kerosene, so we hope to have a go this weekend. If the kerosene is too stinky, then I'll try the BBQ lighter fluid.

Also just wondering what are the best books that could help us, or other magazine articles? Remember, these would need to be fairly simple at this point!

I found this book on eBay as well as on Amazon --

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SIMPLE-MODEL-LOCOMOTIVE-BUILDING-INTRODUCING-LBSC-S-TICH-EVANS-/380919684822?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item58b0951ed6

Thanks again,

Rob

Edited By RobertInOntario on 20/06/2014 18:29:39

Hi Julian; my only concern is that (at least over here) BBQ lighter fluid comes in a can with a handy squeeze type spout, and every summer, somebody squeezes some on to a not-quite-lighting-fast-enough BBQ, and , FOOM! they've aged 30 years in a fraction of a second, as all their hair is now gone!

I know that the Brits would not be as foolish to do that, but people here seem to do this.

(smile)

There is also a solid BBQ starter, which I've used once or twice, but prefer the liquid stuff.

Now to get to the repairs caused by some family's Kodak moment, when they were filming a "look at little bobby push that big locomotive" event as I was walking the track looking for debris and whatnot; fortunately they only managed to derail it and knock cylinder drains off, they could have easily put it on the cement …

Regards - JohnS.

hi john,

the proceedure ive used for 30 years is to put the broken up charcoal into a jam jar and add the BBQ lighter fuel and screw on the lid and give it a good shake and leave overnight then add a bit more day of steam up before leaving home but dont shake up.

there are then a few well soaked wet lumps at the bottom of the jar to use on the shovel.

cheers,

julian

My son & I only got so far in firing the Tich today. We filled it with water and then inserted some kerosene-soaked bits of charcoal. We got the fire going, although it seemed to keep going out. Using the blower, we got some steam pressure up and saw the water bouncing in the glass.

The loco was mounted on a display stand where the loco's wheels engage with some wheels in the stand so you can run it stationary, so to speak. We let the pressure build for 30-40 minutes -- the boiler was hot, there was water in the glass but the pressure gauge had only moved slightly. We tried the whistle but it only made a faint "peep". We tried the throttle but nothing happened.

After trying for well over an hour from the initial set up time, we had to stop as we needed to go out. Then my son realized that the brake was in the "on" position, i.e. locking the display stand's wheels!!

At any rate, the loco is now cooling off & we'll try again. Is there any harm in leaving the charcoal (that didn't get used up) inside the firebox as well as the unused water -- or should I try to remove these?

Thanks, Rob

Sorry if this seems petty but can I make clear that 'barbecue lighting fuel' (paraffin/kerosene) is what is meant here, please don't use 'lighter fuel' (i.e. petrol/gasoline) as the consequences of putting a match to petrol soaked charcoal could be regrettable.

Neil

hi rob,

you should always drain down a copper miniature loco boiler after a steam up - blowing down via the blowdown valve when pressure drops to 15psi. you should also always drop the grate and remove all old fire residue, and sweep the tubes.

the brake you refer to is a complete red herring. i would expect to get a TICH to working pressure in 5 minutes from lighting the charcoal. either your forced draught/blower isnt strong enough or there is something else seriously wrong with the loco.

cheers,

julian

Thanks, Julian & Neil. I'll try to clean up the loco this evening! Rob

Although charcoal burns sausages ok it is very weak a a loco fuel. You must get some coal going to get any decent steam and initially the blower can use up all the available steam while not providing enough draught to get the fire going properly. So you need > 15lbs before using the blower and enought draught to make the whole top of the fire not dull cherry red but a bright light red.

'draining the boiler' does not mean empty, just get some of it out withthe crud.

I will just repeat that the reason for using kerosene is that it burns dirty so you can see the flame. With BBQ fluid you can set the house on fire before you can see the flame even in overcast conditions let alone sunshine.

Hi Rob - all good advice given above.

What *I* find with my Tich and larger locomotives, is that the little electric fans I use are ok for the initial getting the fire going, but as soon as I can, I try the locomotive blower. Turn it on while the fan is going, and you'll hear it change the tone of the electric blower, as it blows water/steam into it. Then I just lift the (very warm) fan up off the chimney, and see that the steam blower is working.

I think Bayzle is right - get some coal. Talk to your friends at your club. You need bits of coal pea-sized, or slightly larger for Tich - you want it to be small enough to have a good amount of burning surface in there, but not too small that it falls through the grates.

Speaking of which - ensure that the grate is clear, the ash pan is clear, and the tubes are clear. My Tich, the superheater is totally blocked, so I don't worry about that one, but the other tubes are cleaned after every run.

When Tich is working well, there's actually a surprising amount of noise, and action, so don't be worried about having things "too active".

Also, my first few times, I did not realize that the depth of the fire was crucial, you want a deep fire, which makes sense, if you think about the air coming up through; whilst a full sized stoker equipped locomotive can run with a 2" depth of fire, you can't scale nature, so our little Tich needs a fire that is deeper than I first thought.

The fact that you got the water bouncing around is *much* better than I got the first few times I tried my Tich, so a thumbs up is due there!

Yes, there is more to getting these little locomotives going than there is to driving a new car, but once you get the hang of it, it's worth it.

JohnS.

Thanks, John! I have a few questions & comments:

-- My next plan is to try to remove as much of the previous charcoal as I can and replace it with some charcoal that is now thoroughly soaked in kerosene (been a few days now). Maybe my previous charcoal had not been soaked enough in the kerosene (it was only a few hours)?

-- I'm having trouble seeing or looking under the loco -- what's the easiest / best way to drop the grate and clean out the ashes?

-- regarding the water: we filled up the tank pretty much to the top of the tank -- was that too much?

-- yes, the firebox door is tiny and the chunks of wood charcoal are quite large. It's a messy job to break them down but I guess it has to be done. I'll get some coal the next time I'm able to make it to the club, but that might not be until July.

-- after I've replaced as much of the charcoal as I can with "really kerosene-soaked" kind and checked the water level in the tank, we'll try lighting it up again. We'll also make sure that the brake is not applied (on the wheels on the display stand) so that when we apply the throttle, the wheels will move!

-- as mentioned, previously we were able to see water bouncing in the glass. The loco's boiler was hot and it made a steady hissing noise but was definitely not noisy. I think the fire kept going out. Also, the pressure gauge seemed to indicate only a little pressure and the whistle made a faint sound when we pulled it. So I guess we're on the right track but obviously not quite there yet.

Will keep you posted -- thanks for this feedback.

Rob

Edited By RobertInOntario on 24/06/2014 23:32:02

Edited By RobertInOntario on 24/06/2014 23:33:05

I just thought I'd post a quick update of how we're getting on with our Tich. After a couple failed attempts at home, I took it to our club yesterday where my friends got it into steam. It did take some effort to get the fire going, but once that was started, it was fairly easy to keep it in steam for about 1-1/2 hours. I practiced going back & forth on a siding, keeping the fire going, making sure it had enough water, etc., until I got the hang of it. That 1.5 hours went by very fast and it really was a lot of fun -- very addictive!

We also got it steaming at home tonight, again with the help from one of the club members. It seems that the fan (that came with the Tich) may be too weak or low-powered. We might try it out again at the club this weekend.

Thanks again for your help on this forum, as this has helped a lot too.

Rob