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Re: Fire Prevention Water Nozzles on Steam Locomotives
Author: Dale Jones
Date: 09-03-2018 - 19:02
Thank you for enlightenment on this rail cleaning discussion. Perhaps if I had posted the image it would have been easier for me to explain how I came to the water for fire prevention hypothesis.
The train is on level ground on the trestle in the Kootenai River bottom after descending the grade east of Bonners Ferry. There should not have been any need for additional traction as the track is level in the Kootenai River delta for six miles before they need to attempt any westbound grade at all. The trestle itself was built in 1905 before treated wood was commonly used and according to historical weather data from the first week of August 1949, the temperatures were in the 90s. The wood has had 50 years of drying out. Usually in Northern Idaho when the temperature is that extreme, the humidity is low which raises the fire danger substantially. The train [Passenger Train Westbound #1 with four cars] was passing the west end of the trestle over riverside brush. In that that hot, dry August weather, the brush under the wooden pile bridge supports would have been tinder dry. I thoroughly understand the reason for cleaning rails when traveling upgrade to prevent undue wheel wear on trailing cars. Perhaps, considering [ to me anyway] there would not be any obvious reason for this train to clean the rails as added traction appears unnecessary, that is why I concluded [perhaps incorrectly,but to me logically] the water nozzles served a dual purpose - clean the rails on the upgrade and as fire prevention at least on the Kootenai River Trestle.
Anyway...thank you again for the discussion - I wasn't going to include this detail in the caption, I just thought it was an interesting tidbit.
Talk to ya later,
Dale Jones
The train is on level ground on the trestle in the Kootenai River bottom after descending the grade east of Bonners Ferry. There should not have been any need for additional traction as the track is level in the Kootenai River delta for six miles before they need to attempt any westbound grade at all. The trestle itself was built in 1905 before treated wood was commonly used and according to historical weather data from the first week of August 1949, the temperatures were in the 90s. The wood has had 50 years of drying out. Usually in Northern Idaho when the temperature is that extreme, the humidity is low which raises the fire danger substantially. The train [Passenger Train Westbound #1 with four cars] was passing the west end of the trestle over riverside brush. In that that hot, dry August weather, the brush under the wooden pile bridge supports would have been tinder dry. I thoroughly understand the reason for cleaning rails when traveling upgrade to prevent undue wheel wear on trailing cars. Perhaps, considering [ to me anyway] there would not be any obvious reason for this train to clean the rails as added traction appears unnecessary, that is why I concluded [perhaps incorrectly,but to me logically] the water nozzles served a dual purpose - clean the rails on the upgrade and as fire prevention at least on the Kootenai River Trestle.
Anyway...thank you again for the discussion - I wasn't going to include this detail in the caption, I just thought it was an interesting tidbit.
Talk to ya later,
Dale Jones
