Before taking charge of a locomotive, a considerable period must be spent as a fireman. The first things to be learned are the principles governing the composition of fuels. The difference between the work of a locomotive boiler furnace and one under a stationary boiler is that in the former the rate of fuel consumption is very much greater than in the latter. In locomotive boilers it often occurs that 150 pounds of bituminous coal is burned per square foot of grate area per hour while a consumption of 200 pounds per square foot per hour is not unusual. Different fuels require different treatment in the fire-box.
Bituminous coal is the most common fuel used on American railroads.
It varies so much in chemical composition and heat value that no fixed rule for burning it can be laid down. The work of the fireman varies more or less with each grade of coal used. Ordinarily, the fuel bed should be comparatively thin. It may vary in thickness from 6 to 10 inches or even more, depending on the work the locomotive is called upon to perform. The fuel bed should be of sufficient thickness to prevent its being lifted from the grate under the influence of the draft created by the exhaust.