# QUESTION ABOUT USING SAND IN FIRE BOX



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Okay anothe question about firing coal fired engines.
We kown that when the coal fired locos were in service that sand was used to help clean the flues in the fire box.
Is it feasible to do the same thing on a small scale engine on a small scale basis.
May be completly dumb question ,but we try to do everthing else on a prtptypical basis.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I am sure that if you can get enough draft to pull sand through the flues it would help scour the soot off the insides, but I am not sure you can really get that kind of air flow in our miniature engines.

In full sized engines the draft can be so strong that it can pull the shovel right out of the hands of the fireman (quite embarassing!).


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Make sure that You use Scale sand-1/32 or 1/20 or if Roundhouse 1/16 th (Ha-Ha) DON'T do it.You will have sand in the Drive train and have a MESS.Clean the Engine the right Way,If You are going to Diamondhead.Have Yeavs Show You,Or Calbe.


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Posted By Bob in Mich on 08 Jan 2012 12:31 PM 
Make sure that You use Scale sand-1/32 or 1/20 or if Roundhouse 1/16 th (Ha-Ha) DON'T do it.You will have sand in the Drive train and have a MESS.Clean the Engine the right Way,If You are going to Diamondhead.Have Yeav's Show You,Or Calbe.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

When I was learning to fire a 1.5"/ft. live steam Pacific at L.A. Live Steamers (30+ years ago), the old engineer teaching the class, mentioned this procedure to clean the flues in 1:1. He had tried it ONCE with the Pacific and said it made a horrible mess. I don't believe you could get enough draft in our very small locomotives to get the job done. 1:1, NO problem. 1/8th scale, BIG mess and not so clean. Our scale, NOT worth it. JMHO


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

I realy did not thonk it would be feasible to do it. I just really wanted to see how many were watching plyoff football. Ives showed me last year at DH how to cleam my C-62. 
I have since made an attachment for shop vac to really do a good job of getting soot and such out of fire box and smoke box.
Just having some fun.


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Hay,The Lions Lost Last Night,Nothing more to WATCH


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## Taperpin (Jan 6, 2008)

Bob , 
I think "sanding" was normally used only on Oil Fired locos, certainly here in Australia, over use of the oil feed valve would deposit a coating of oil soot on the flues and going uphill working hard the fireman would throw a few shovel fulls into the box,the Black Smoke was very,very big! I even heard of pebbles /gravel being used...against rules though. 

Gordon.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Bob in Mich on 08 Jan 2012 12:54 PM 
Hay,The Lions Lost Last Night,Nothing more to WATCH 
You could watch the Texans. May surprise some folks. Thye have really been beaten up this year and have done better than some expected.


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

On the Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR the oil-fired Heisler had the flues cleaned with sand while running, just as Gordon describes. The conductor explained that the flues needed to be de-sooted frequently, and when that happened there would be a lot of dark smoke erupting up out of the stack. I was sitting in an open gondola right behind the locomotive, and when the sand and smoke went up a shower of pine needles, pine cones, and twigs came down from the tree branches overhead. Great fun.


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## k5pat (Jan 18, 2008)

Posted By Bob in Mich on 08 Jan 2012 12:54 PM 
Hay,The Lions Lost Last Night,Nothing more to WATCH 
OH YES!!! there is. If you are a SAINTS fan!!! GO SAINTS....WHO DAT GONNA BEAT DEM 49ers.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Somebody... please pour some sand in the fireboxes of these sports fans! PLEASE!


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## Ray Cadd (Dec 30, 2008)

Yes, please!
Re sand, don't do it. The little locomotives don't have near enough draft to make this work. It'll just make a mess. It's one of those things that doesn't scale down.


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