The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-03
LOCOMOTIVES WASTE
4.
ONE-HALF THEIR FUEL
Fifty Per Cent of the Coal
Used is of No Value in
Hauling Trains.

One of the most interesting reports
recently published by the United
States Geological Survey is that OF
Professor w. r. NJ. Goss, now dean In
the University of Illinois, who con-
Quoted experiments upon railroad
locomotive with reference to the con-
sumption of fuel, with a view to.
greater economy In this important
item OF railroad management.
In this report Professor Goss makes
the statement that of the 10000, 000
tons of fuel burned annually in the
locomotives used In the United States
more than 16.99e, eee tons are-Itst
gases in the stacks. This heat is dis
charged from the stacks. and is
negligible factor SO far as running
the mechanism Is concerned.
Additional loss or the value of fuel.
amounting to S,640,000 tons, was
found in the cinders and sparks, s.
040, 600 tons are lost in radiation and
leakage of steam and water. ESQ.,
600 tons are lost through unconsumed
fuel, 100000 tons are lost through
incomplete com bustton of gases, and
18,000,000 tons are consumed in start
Ing fires, in moving the locomotives
and in keeping the boilers hot while
standing. This foots up a complete
waste of fifty per cent. of the fuel
used in firing the locomotives which
pull the railroad traffic of the coun-
try.
Under ideal conditions of opera
TONS" says Professor Goss, much
of the fuel thus used could be saved.
and it Is reasonable to expect that
the normal process of evolution OF
railroad practice will tend gradually
to bring about some reduction in the
consumption thus accounted for. Tho
ran an hv he nj
charged gtsses offers an attractive
field to those who would improve the
efficiency of the boiler. The fuel loss
In the form of cinders passing out of
the stack is very large and may read
lily be reduced.
"A sure road TO Improvement In
this direction -Aes-tff increased
CRATE area. Opportunities for Incl
dental savings are to be found In i'm
proved fame ways, such as are to be
procured by the application of brick
arches and other devices. Such losses
may also be reduced by greater care
in the selection of fuel and in the
preparation of the fuel for the servica
in which IL Is to be used. IT is not
unreasonable to expect that the en-
tire loss covered by this item will In
time be overcome.
THE fuet which Is lost by dripping
through the CRATES and Hingling with
the ashes Is a factor fnat depends
upon the CRATE design and on the
characteristics of the fuel, but chief
~ on the degree of care exercised In
managing the fire. More sktlful firing
would save much OF the fuel thus ac-
counted for.
Locomotive boilers are handicap
ped by the requirement that the boil
err and all its appurtenances must
come within rigldly defined limits OF
space, and by the fact that they ara
forced to work at Very high rates of
power ---------4------------z----
Notwithstanding this handicap the
zone of practicable % improvement
which lies between present day re-
suits and those which may reason
ably be regarded as obtainable Is not
% wide AZ to make future progress
rapid or easy. Material improvement
is less likely to come in large meas
ure as the result of revolutionary
chen than as series of relatively
small savings
1T Is apparently that utilization Of
fuel tn locomotive practice is prob
lem of large proportions, and that II
even a small saying could be made
By all or a large proportion of the
loeoua olives of the country 1t would
constitute an important factor In the
conservation of the country's fuel
supply"