@@blackthorne57 Possible but with that much junk in the water you'd think it would raise hell with the injectors and checkvalves, plus make the boiler foam and prime like mad. Also, if that mud plugs up the sight glass, they're in trouble! In Cuba I doubt the double sight glass law exists (like in 49 CFR part 230) nor any other real boiler standards. I'm curious to see what the water side of these boilers look like inside with this rubbish water, no feed treatment, and very few boiler washes.
hope these guys are preserved and safe from the torch, would think steam is rare in those parts these days, hate to see them loose these historic machines.
Very interesting, especially the 'fireless' converted tender engine. Reed's paper mill nr. Maidstone in Kent had 2 either 0-4-0 or 0-6-0, (memory a little hazy), 'fireless' on their system until it closed in the early '70's, - don't know what happened to them. They were kept immaculate painted in the companies colour of dark green and lined out in cream.
That is one good thing about steam engines in a poor country's economy, they can be maintained for ever in rather primitive shops. Diesels are dependent on imported parts. Thanks to this we have a living railroad museum in Cuba.
Is it true that if a steam loco is converted to a fireless or a stationary boiler It can never be converted back or run again as a non stationary loco?
I see no reason why given adequate funds and skill a conversion to a fireless or a stationary boiler could not be re-converted back to a running loco. Unfortunatly countries like Cuba do not have the money for such tasks.
Vincent Berkan This video was made in 1999. I am sorry to say the only active steam locos now active in Cuba are on museum lines. Working steam stopped about 2005.
1664 did not need a tender for fuel or water because it did not have a fire. It is nown as a firless steam locomotive. A fireless steam locomotive is similar to a conventional steam locomotive, but has a reservoir, known as a steam accumulator, instead of a boiler. This reservoir is charged with superheated water under pressure from the sugar mill's main boiler. The engine works like a conventional steam engine using the high pressure steam above the water in the accumulator. As the steam is used and pressure drops, the superheated water boils, replacing the used steam. The locomotive can work like this until the pressure has dropped to a minimum useful level, after which it must be recharged. Most fireless locomotives are built as fireless but this one was converted from a normal locomotive that had a tender, firebox and boiler.
There was no need for emergency repairs trackside, the loco only worked in the mill yard so it was always very near the shed and the staff with their tools.
About 50% of Cuban sugar mills have been closed in recent years. As of 2013, one of the mills in my video, Manuel Isla Perez, had closed. Noel Fernandez was held as a reserve, the remainder were still active. The evil, vindictive and totally unwarranted economic sanctions imposed by the US have had a devastating effect on Cuba’s ability to modernise the mills. Steam locomotives ceased operation at all mills in about 2005.
Lamentablemente, todo el vapor de trabajo ya ha terminado en Cuba. El final fue alrededor de 2005. Todavía se pueden usar algunas locomotoras de vapor de museo. Sadly, all working steam has now finished in Cuba The end was about 2005. A few museum steam locos may still be used.
Bunker oil, it’s what’s left over after the distillation process at an oil refinery. petrol, diesel, lubricating oil etc. is taken off and thick black bunker oil is literally the bottom of the barrel; in oil distilling, the only things more dense than bunker fuel are carbon black, feedstock and bituminous residue which is used for paving roads and sealing roofs. It is not a good idea to get it on your boots or clothes! It also explains the thick black smoke from the locos.
Not a good idea. The steam is under high pressure and a suitable pressure vessel would have to be installed in the tender. The locos never leave the mill yard so it is easy to recharge them with steam whenever required.
@@blackthorne57 Certainly, I figured the tank conversion was implied. And it is true it won't leave the yard, but I can't see it hurting to get a bit more range before needing to top back off.
Yes, it a rare fireless conversion from a conventional steam locomotive. As far as I know the two at this mill were the only conversions that were successful.
They are not only weird but not very successful. This is the only conversion in Cuba that they got to work. I do not know if conversions were tried in other countries.
@@FredTheFreak The loco does not require water. Steam generated by the sugar mill's boilers is pumped under pressure into what was the boiler but now is only a pressure vessel to hold the steam.
The loco was built as a conventional tender engine but was converted to 'fireless' by the mill staff. A fireless loco does not need a fire therefore no water or fuel oil and no tender because steam from the mill is pumped into the loco boiler under pressure and this steam is used to power the loco. For top-ups the loco returns to the mill. Many locos were built as fireless but very few were successfully converted to fireless from a conventional loco.
