The PLS Gazette – March-April 2011

The March–April 2011 PLS GAZETTE A newsletter of the Pennsylvania Live Steamers, Inc.

MARCH–APRIL TOPICS: Annual Election Results 1 Donations 2 2011 Spring Meet 2 Associate Renewals Past Due 2 Op-Ed 3 For Sale 3 Membership News 3 Steam Cutoff–2 4 Snowbirds 6

I want to personally thank Lee Non- One — Spring is here and so is the Along the Main Line nemacher for his performance as PLS need to clean up the property in Secretary for the previous three years. preparation for the running season. s you receive this issue of your Lee chose not to run this year and There are also quite a few projects that Gazette, you should be eagerly has been replaced by Bob Blackson. I will be getting underway: gutters for awaiting our first run day on am grateful for the assistance Lee has the steaming bay need to be installed; provided to me during our working AMay 1st, followed by the Spring Meet posts for the new front gate need to relationship. Lee has agreed to con- (May 27-29) and then the rest of this tinue in the appointed capacity of cor- be installed set in concrete; a whistle summer’s scheduled events. Annual responding secretary — a position that post needs to be “planted” near the elections were held at the membership should provide a continuity funnel for 71/4” crossing; maintenance to the 43/4” meeting on March 19, with yours truly e-mail and other written club inquiries and 71/4” track is an ongoing project; settling into another year as President. and matters. removal of a fallen tree stump will See the election report elsewhere in There are three points I wish to require many hands to accomplish. this Gazette for all of those details. make again in this issue: (Continued on page 2)

Annual Election Results

lections were held at the regular membership meeting on March 19, 2011. Pat Murphy, EBob Blackson and Walt Mensch, running unopposed, were confirmed as president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively. The election of three board members, for which there were nine names on the ballot, became a little more interesting. Paul Rice and Sharon Connelly were elected on the first ballot. Ron Shupard was the last man standing after multiple ballots. So, we congratulate Sharon Connelly, Paul Rice and Ron Shupard on their election to the board. Rounding out the board are John Bortz, Jr., Bob Freer and John Geib, all of whom have a year remaining on their two-year terms. Familiar faces, new roles. Bob Blackson (top, left) is the new club secretary while Sharon Connelly (top, right) is new to the board of directors. Paul Rice (above, left) was — Lee Nonnemacher reelected and Ron Shupard (above, right) won election on the third ballot.

March–April 2011 • The PLS GAZETTE 1 Along the Main Line Three — We are once again in need Lastly — Our first run day with (Continued from page 1) of articles for the Gazette. Under Al- boiler inspection will be on Sunday len Underkofler’s wonderful artistic May 1st. While April 24th would have Two — Please attend membership hand, our newsletter does us proud, been our normal first run day, Easter meetings that are held on the third Sat- but — we are short on articles. If this Sunday falling on that date compelled urday of each month, March through continues, we will need to reduce the us to move the date to May 1. For November, at 12:30. New projects frequency of this publication to reflect those needing to test their boilers, that center on the five-year plan are material that has been provided. This please be sure to use the sign up sheet being actively considered, discussed, may inhibit our ability to broadcast to avoid a boiler inspection “log jam” and presented. If you are looking to regular updates and reminders of club on that day. become involved in a club project, let events. Tell us about your train travels, Wishing you warmest regards!! someone on the BOD know your abil- your ongoing projects in the basement ity, as the scope of projects can only (I know of 3 or 4 members that fall Pat Murphy, President, PLS move forward with the help of knowl- under this category.) Perhaps someone edgeable and interested members. might produce an active loco roster.

parts, and rolling stock, all given for please use your own cooler if at all Donation the use and benefit of our club. Some possible. Thank you. items will be offered at the PLS sales Acknowledgements table during the Spring Meet. PLS wishes to thank the following 2011 Associate members for donations received during February and March: Mary Spear, 2011 Spring Meet Membership Michael J. McDevitt, Alan Redeker, Kathleen F. Parris, Harry E. Quirk, F. Information Renewals Thomas McInerney, Stephen Roadcap, Eugene P. Heiler, Buddy Borders, Su- The Spring Meet will be held on Associate membership renewals for san Borders, John H. Bortz Jr, David E. May 28th and 29th this year. As 2011 are now past due. If you have Laird, James Stapleton, Robert Small, usual, running may start on Friday not renewed, please take the time to Ernest Wortmann, Virginia A. Kulak, afternoon, May 27th. Volunteers are do so now. Cost is $30.00 per year. David Yingling, C. Robert Morris, Wil- needed for gate duty, station duty, and Renewals must be accompanied by liam L. Mentzer, Rich Falzone, Mark kitchen duty. Please sign up for a time the renewal form sent in early Janu- Collins, James T. Doherty, Rowland slot when you arrive at the meet. Your ary. If you have misplaced the form Dudley, Antonio Kulak, Albert J. donation of baked goods is always ap- and would like to renew, please e-mail Rieger Jr, and Ed Wagner. Thanks also preciated. [email protected] to to the William Penn Foundation. Please note: during the meet, the request the form. Associate members We thank Martha Cushwa for her clubhouse refrigerators are used for who have not renewed will have their donation of part of the collection of food and drinks sold by PLS through- names dropped from our active roster. her late husband, and PLS club mem- out the weekend. Should you need Remember, only members and their ber, Dave Cushwa. This includes refrigeration for either personal use or guests will be able to attend events at books, train parts, O gauge trolley items brought for the pot luck dinner, PLS this season.

Pennsylvania Live Steamers, Inc. President Patrick J. Murphy 2439 Overlook Drive, Gilbertsville, PA 19525 [email protected] Secretary Robert Blackson 303 North Tulpehocken Road, Reading, PA 19601 [email protected] Treasurer Walter Mensch 1348 Sheep Hill Rd., Pottstown, PA 19465 Gazette Editor Allen Underkofler Box 609, Kimberton, PA 19442-0609 [email protected]

Board of Directors: John Bortz Jr., [email protected]; Sharon Connelly, [email protected]; Bob Freer, [email protected]; John Geib, [email protected]; Paul Rice, [email protected]; Ron Shupard, [email protected].

Safety Committee Members: John Geib, chairman; Buddy Borders; Pete Brown; Pat Murphy; Bruce Saylor.

Pennsylvania Live Steamers, Inc. • P.O. Box 26202, Collegeville, PA. 19426-0202 • 610-454-0477 • www.palivesteamers.org

2 The PLS GAZETTE • March–April 2011 OP-ED Look Before You Leap It was announced at the March 19th ning in 1870. Since it was — and so-called railroad enthusiasts but, as Membership Meeting that the PLS should continue to be — a means generally rationalized, it is said by Board of Directors proposed changing (often theonly means) for conveying local experts in social affairs to be a the Gazette publication schedule from ever-unfolding club news, a quarterly “sign of the times.” If it continues to bimonthly to quarterly, and, “there was publication schedule is a non-starter. be the case, and there is no sign it will broad agreement” with that philoso- Considering a three month length of improve, better to simply bury the phy. As founder of the Gazette and its time from the previous issue, a quar- Gazette with an honorable funeral than Editor, typist, printer, folder, stapler, terly cycle will result in a Gazette that downgrade it to a feel-good live steam and stamp-licker for most of its first “reports” what happened in the distant or diesel version of People Magazine. four years with a circulation of about past — big whoop for that! In short, As with politicians, we get the newslet- 100, I think I have a say in the matter. the Gazette will be subverted to an ir- ter we deserve. We need enlightened First and foremost, the Gazette was relevant entertainment magazine. leadership from the Directors to main- conceived, and originally functioned There has been a worsening prob- tain a vital means of communication, as, a newsletter! In fact, it was named lem in this club obtaining substantive not a cop-out. after the historicRailroad Gazette, material in support of a bimonthly the weekly newsletter of the railroad publication. That is a sad commen- — Bob Thomas industry in its formative years begin- tary on an organization of over 100 Wanted Club Membership Oliver #2 >1” scale Narrow Gauge News British style 43/4” gauge live steam coal fired engine with builder instructions PLS welcomes new Associate mem- sold at the 2011 Cabin Fever Expo auc- bers Dolores Branson, Angela Learn, tion in York, PA. William Harris, and William A. Cor- rado. Bryan Del Monte has upgraded Bryan Del Monte to probationary Regular member. [email protected] (610) 247-2088 Steam Loco for Sale

Mogul steam loco, 1½” scale, 71/4” gauge. Newly painted. Stainless steel grates. Axle pump, hand pump and injector. Tender has water gauge. Comes with stand to hold loco and tender, transfer bridge and wooden rack to hold engine in van or wagon. Asking $14,500. Located at Township of Washington, NJ, exit 168 on Garden State Parkway. Reason for selling, had a stroke so no longer able to participate in live steaming. Contact: Al Frielink, 960 Bridge Street, Township of Washington, NJ 07676. [email protected]. 201-664-4579.

March–April 2011 • The PLS GAZETTE 3 Steam Cutoff By Bob Thomas Part 2 – More Fun with Efficiency

he first part of this article Boiler Pressure explained cutoff as the percent- age of piston stroke that steam Tis admitted to the cylinders. That is, steam is admitted only at the begin- ning the stroke while the piston moves MEP at 85% Cutoff away from the cylinder head, Steam remaining in the cylinder then expands during the rest of the stroke to produce work that would otherwise be wasted if MEP at 25% Cutoff a steady flow had continued for the en- tire stroke. Cutoff is adjusted by moving the reverse lever back (linking up) Steam Pressure in Cylinder from full-forward toward neutral. For PSIG Cylinder Pressure, lowest water and coal consumption, the engine should be operated with the 0 20 40 60 80 100 shortest cutoff possible consistent with Stroke, Percent train resistance, speed requirements, Figure 3. Linking up without opening throttle lowers MEP at 25% cutoff, reducing power and road conditions. To illustrate that, developed and causing locomotive to slow down. let’s take a coal-fired locomotive on a trip around the PLS track. Boiler Pressure After standing in the station while passengers were loaded, your locomotive should have a uniform bed of new coal ready to start burning, and boiler full of water. Start out in full MEP at 85% & 25% Cutoff gear, reduce blower, but keep it on slightly for draft while descending the grade toward the tunnel. After rolling fifteen feet or so, pull the reverse lever pretty far back toward neutral for a very short cutoff and set throttle and brakes for appropriate speed down the Steam Pressure in Cylinder grade and through the tunnel. When PSIG Cylinder Pressure, exiting at the east portal, the blower comes off. and cutoff increased to 0 20 40 60 80 100 around fifty percent (reverse lever half Stroke, Percent way between neutral and full-forward) Figure 4. Opening the throttle while linking-up increases the MEP at 25% cutoff to in- while the throttle is opened to make crease developed power and keep speed constant. it up the grade, across Mercer Bridge and around the rising curve toward and flange friction drops, reducing the to the hilt, this might be a good time the northbound tangent. If the engine load on the locomotive, so cutoff can to continue with shortened cutoff and shows signs of bucking, it means cutoff again be shortened and throttle opened opening the throttle all the way. The is too short, so move reverser farther until the curve into westbound grade result will be less spectacular sound forward for smooth running, possibly is approached. There is an urge to effects but an engine that is putting backing off the throttle at the same blast up the outside loop grade in full out maximum power with minimum time. The grade eases on the tangent gear, but unless your engine is loaded steam. It doesn’t get any better!

4 The PLS GAZETTE • March–April 2011 can be calculated from this simple tant when running with short cutoff.. formula: How do we know what the cutoff Cutoff is adjusted by is for a particular engine? Cutoff at moving the reverse lever Horse Power = (P L A N)/33,000 full gear and various intermediate positions of the reverse lever can be back (linking up) from Power developed by a piston in a determined very easily. Charge the full-forward toward cylinder can be found by multiplying boiler with low pressure air, say 10 psi, steam Pressure, times Length of stroke, so the locomotive can’t run away but neutral. times Area of piston, times Number still can be moved slowly forward in of strokes per minute, all divided by full gear with the throttle cracked and Immediately after clearing the grade 33,000. An engine with two double- cylinder drain cocks open. Air should crossing the blower valve is opened acting cylinders will develop four begin to escape from the front cylinder slightly in anticipation of drifting on times that power. Everything needed to cock as the piston approaches front the long downgrade ahead, where soft calculate power can be found by physi- dead center. Continue slow forward exhaust might be insufficient to keep cal measurements in inches except the motion until the crosshead guide the fire up. This is a great opportunity pressure, which we know varies during stops moving, indicating exact front to get the most from shortest possible the stroke, especially at short cutoff. dead center. Mark that position of the cutoff, since the engine will have to So what do we do? To get around crosshead on the crosshead guide with supply little or no power down the the variability of pressure, a fictitious a light scratch or marker pen and call it grade behind the clubhouse and across constant pressure is used, called Mean Point A. Continue moving the loco- the trestle. So pull back on the reverse Effective Pressure (MEP). The MEP is a motive forward. Air will issue from lever for 20% cutoff, open throttle if constant pressure that acts over the en- the drain cock as the crosshead moves required, and relax in the breeze. At tire stroke to produce the same power backward until it is cut off by the valve. the trestle exit the blower should be as the actual variable pressure does. Make another mark on the crosshead killed once again as reverser is moved Figure 3 is a composite graph of two corresponding to the new position of forward for longer cutoff along the different cylinder conditions: 1) Full the crosshead at cutoff (Point B). Put a tangent, around the curve beyond the gear 85% cutoff (Red). 2) Linked up third mark where the crosshead stops signal bridge, and onto the westbound for 25% cutoff (Green). In full gear the moving at the rear of the stroke (Point tangent. One more sprint with short constant MEP (dashed Red) is almost C). Full gear cutoff of the locomotive cutoff and opened throttle to the road the same as maximum cylinder pres- can then be calculated as follows: underpass, where cutoff might as well sure because there is no pressure drop be restored to full gear as your train is until the very end of stroke. However, Cutoff (percent) = (AB /AC) x100 slowed for the yard where there will be at 25% cutoff the steep decline in plenty to watch out for as the station cylinder pressure after cutoff results Some reverse lever quadrants have siding is entered. in a much lower MEP (dashed Green) one or more notches between full for- That’s what you might do to opti- so, with less developed power, the ward and neutral where a dog on the mize your locomotive’s performance. locomotive slows down. In order to Johnson bar can be latched in place for Or not. If you don’t want to bother maintain constant speed when cutoff is linking up. The cutoff at each notch with cutoff adjustment or your engine reduced, the throttle has to be opened can be determined as described above. doesn’t benefit from it, then don’t do it! (Figure 4) to increase the initial pres- If your quadrant has a series of ratchet There is no right or wrong way to run sure during admission in order to raise teeth instead of notches, find out what your own engine. But if you already the constant MEP (dashed Green), and the cutoff is at a few intermediate are acquainted with riding the Johnson restore power output. Even though positions, e.g., 20%, 40% and 60%, and bar and throttle together, or are new to that initial pressure is higher, much mark the quadrant or adjacent cab side the game and intrigued by the possi- less steam is supplied for the same for reference when you are running. bilities of this invigorating dimension power output, so there is a consider- It doesn’t really matter exactly what in running a live steamer, give it a try, able increase in efficiency. the cutoff is at each point, but it is nice modifying the above scenario to suite In the interest of full disclosure to know, and having a few reference the needs of your locomotive and busy it has to be pointed out that when points will assist setting the reverse track conditions. running with short cutoff, the higher lever to suit various track conditions. Let’s take time out to look at a initial pressure required to maintain Experimenting with cutoff might be simple explanation that explains why speed puts additional stress on the too demanding for some enginemen the throttle usually has to be opened crosshead, crosshead guide, connect- who will be kept occupied just main- somewhat to maintain constant speed ing and coupling rods, and wheel bear- taining water level, tending the fire and after linking up, and closed somewhat ings. On engines with slide valves the keeping an eye out for signals. When when the reverse lever is returned higher pressure also places additional circumstances permit, however, adding toward full gear. Power developed by a loading on valves and valve gear, so ad- cutoff adjustment to the mix will be steam engine – even our miniatures – equate lubrication is especially impor- icing on the cake. Have fun!

March–April 2011 • The PLS GAZETTE 5 Snowbirds in Florida By Bruce Saylor The PLS Gang Visit the Florida Tracks

Bidirectional running on the Ridge Live Steam Railroad. Note new railroad construction on the left top.

ave Johnson and I went on The second track was the private lunch and dinner was supplied by the our annual FLS meet that Manatee Railroad on two proper- crew for visiting railroaders, about 30 took place the last two weeks ties owned by Larry Smith and Pete of us. Dof February. I believe it was year 13. It Newcomb with five acres each. Most The last track, Ridge Live Steamers, was a great trip with 14 days of sun, no of the track is on Larry’s property. This is a club track in Dundee. They have rain and temps from 69 on the first day track has been in operation for 20 plus 20 acres and are building a lot of track. and 72 to 84 degrees for the balance years and is located near Bradenton, The new addition is about 3/4 mile with of the time there. It was shorts and T- below Tampa. There is about 1 miles a large bridge and a long trestle. This shirt weather. There were at least eight of 71 gauge track. There is also 1,200 track has a lot of passing tracks and railroads open for live steamers during feet of 43/4 inch gauge plus two circles many sidings with industries on these February and early March. We only of Gauge 1 for the guys that like the sidings. They have a signal system that did four. small stuff. can allow for bidirectional running. The first track is a fairly new track, The third track is a private track, They operate it at times as a real rail- Pasco County live steamers, with about Buckingham Valley Railroad owned road. Sure is nice to have a lot of land 1.5 miles of 71 inch gauge in the first by Pete Bielecki outside Fort Myers. to work with. This track is surrounded three years of operation. This track This track has a very interesting track by orange groves. Our John Bortz Jr. is is in a county park about two hours layout on five acres of land. They have staying at this track this winter and is north of Tampa. The mainline is single a monster trestle about 800-1,000 feet helping them build the extension. track that runs to three reverse loops long over the mainline and a stream. At the two club tracks we had and is signaled for bidirectional run- Main line is about 1.5 miles long. He to sign waivers and received name ning. They have plans for 5,000 more has a handful of dedicated helpers that badges. At the two private tracks it was feet around a dry lake and back. build and run the railroad. Food for for live steamers only and no public is

6 The PLS GAZETTE • March–April 2011 invited at these tracks. Pasco County and Ridge haul the public once a month. All visitors sign waivers. Getting away during winter for a couple weeks really breaks up the dull- ness of cold temperatures and shovel- ing snow.

Clockwise from upper right: Dave Johnson with his 10-wheeler, Joe Scales Mikado with friend running it. Bruce Saylor on his Mikado, and John on his electric on the Manatee RR.; Steaming bay at Buckingham Valley RR; Main yard and storage yard at Ridge Track; Junction on the Pasco Co RR while Chuck Hackett (signal designer) and Jerry Smithson help get the system working during their meet. —All photos by Bruce Saylor

March–April 2011 • The PLS GAZETTE 7 The PLS GAZETTE P.O. Box 26202 Collegeville, PA 19426-0202

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Don’t Miss the SPRING POT LUCK DINNER May 28th, 5:30 pm We supply the Hotdogs & Burgers ... You bring a Favorite Dish & Beverages. Donations Accepted.