gregh wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 1:25 am
First question is what is that vertical thing inside the cab? I’m guessing it is the steam dome. Then what is the long ‘chimney’ on top?
UScdesigners rarely used inside cylinders on steam locos., mostly on early ones copied from UK practice. In later years, the yanks preferred the working parts of a loco to be accessible for maintenance, unlike pommie designers.
As you guessed, the lower part of the 'thing' in the cab of the Porter is the steam dome. The safety valves are mounted on the dome and the cylindrical extension is basically an exhaust duct so the safety valves don't fill the inside the cab with steam when they open. Small british locos tended to use two exhaust columns if the safety valves were in the cab.
gregh wrote: ↑Wed Oct 11, 2023 1:25 am
I have found a couple of pics of a loco made by a company called ‘Bell’, which seem to be outside frame and inside cylinders. It has a big air? tank inside the cab.
Any ideas what it is or any other info please.
Bell locos were a geared design, with the cylinders inside. I guess you could regard them as the US equivalent of a Sentinel steam loco/railcar. They were based around the working parts of a Stanley steamer road vehicle, including the wire wrapped high pressure boiler. The tank in the cab is probably the fuel tank. Stanley steamers ran on kero, so I assume the Bell locos were the same.
You'll find some details of Bell locos on the first link below, which might give you some ideas. The second link is for interest only, as it details the Stanley boiler design. Not sure I'd fancy sitting on a 600psi boiler any more than I fancy sitting on a lithium battery made by Tesla.....
http://www.gearedsteam.com/bell/bell.htm
http://www.stanleymotorcarriage.com/Parts/Boiler.htm
Regards,
Graeme
