Re: Fire Prevention Water Nozzles on Steam Locomotives
Author: Hot Water
Date: 09-03-2018 - 17:41
Dale Jones Wrote:
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> Without being controversial;I understand the rail
> cleaning, but wouldn't diesel locomotives also
> need to remove sand off the rails? Both steam and
> diesel locomotives need to apply sand for
> traction. How do diesels clean sand off the
> rails?
>
> Thanks again for your input.
>
> Talk to ya later,
> Dale Jones
Diesels generally used/use far less sand than steam locomotives, plus there was no such thing as boiler water to wash the sand off the rails with diesel units. Remember that diesels had automatic wheel slip/sanding systems, even back in the old days, plus diesels had/have far greater tractive effort that the steam locomotives. With modern day high horsepower diesels, there is very sophisticated wheel adhesion/slip controls where sand is applied as only a last resort.