STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEMAN’S. Manual - part 7

Chapter 3: - Lighting up Locomotives 

 

 

 

Place a piece of wood along each side and a couple of 
pieces across these two.  Light a piece of used oily waste 
and place it at the centre of the firebox, over this, place small 
pieces of wood in a crisscross manner. 

 
 

When these pieces of wood ignite, add other and heavier 
pieces of wood until the fire is well under way.  Now close 
the firehole, using a blind door. 

 
 

When placing long lengths of wood into the firebox, care 
must be taken to ensure that the brick arch is not struck and 
damaged. 

 
 

To avoid stress to boilers when lighting up, steam should be 
allowed to rise gradually to a pressure of 100p.s.i. so that the 
firebox, tubes, and boiler plates are allowed to expand 
equally, thus preventing leakages.  A minimum of four hours 
is to be allowed from the time the fire is lit until the time that 
the full pressure is achieved. 

 
 

After steam has been raised and light use of the blower can 
be used to prevent smoke escaping from the firehole, the 
gauge glasses and their protectors are to be thoroughly 
cleaned.  Steam and water cocks on the gauge glass 
columns are to be closed before cleaning and re-opened 
upon completion of cleaning. 

 
3.5 

LIGHT-UP CHECK LIST 

 
 

Light-up Crews and Drivers are to carry out checks and 
inspections as detailed on the checklist titled “STEAM 
LOCOMOTIVE LIGHT UP AND PREPARATION FOR 
TRAFFIC”.  

 
 

Refer to FIGURE 4 in Annex A. 

 
3.6 

ENGINE EQUIPMENT 

 
 

The engine is checked to ensure that it is equipped with a 
pinch bar, long and short pricker, rocking bar, if applicable, 
plus a fire shovel, fire bucket and a coupling on each draw 
hook.  The sand box/s are to be examined to ensure that 
they have sufficient dry sand. 

 
3.7 

FILLING OF HYDROSTATIC LUBRICATOR 

 
 

The hydrostatic lubricator must be filled with the cylinder oil 
provided.  When filling, the steam supply valve is checked to 
ensure that it is shut.   

 

Chapter 3: - Lighting up Locomotives 

 

 

 

The drain and filling plugs are then opened with the fire 
shovel held under the drain plug, and the water is allowed to 
drain until oil appears. 

 
 

The drain plug is the n closed and the cylinder oil poured into 
the lubricator from a clean oil bottle.  If the quantity of oil 
allowed does not fill the lubricator, the remaining space is 
filled with water.  The filling plug is then replaced and the 
steam supply valve and the  steam valve at the top of 
condensing chamber are opened. 

 
 

Do not attempt to refill a hydrostatic lubricator while a 
locomotive is in motion. 

 
 

Refer to FIGURE 5 in Annex A. 

 
3.8 

REMOVE WATER FROM AXLE BOXES 

 
 

Axle boxes and oil receptacles are to be checked for water 
before oiling, especially after a locomotive has been stabled 
for a long period.  Any water found is to be removed before 
oiling. 

 
3.9 

WESTINGHOUSE BRAKE PUMP 

 
 

The brake pump is to be lubricated with the correct oil before 
starting the pump  

 
 

Refer to SECTION 8.3 . 

 
 

When ready, the pump is to be started slowly.  The pump is 
not to be allowed to race. 

 
 

The Brake valve, feed valve and governor are tested to 
ensure they are working correctly.  All air reservoirs are 
drained of moisture. The brakes are  tested and the piston 
travel is noted. 

 
3.10 

OILING OF ENGINE 

 
 

The oiling of an engine is to be done systematically, 
commencing and finishing at the same point.   

 
 

All side rods, big ends, motion pins, small ends and 
eccentrics are oiled, using a small oil can, care being taken 
to avoid wastage. 

 
 

A large Oil Can is used to oil Piston and Guide Bar cups, 
axle boxes and all other oil containers. 

 

Chapter 3: - Lighting up Locomotives 

 

 

 

Oil cups should not be filled above the siphon pipe.  All 
trimmings are to be examined. 

 
  

A few drops of oil should be introduced to the axle box horn 
checks, the compensating beams, brake shaft brackets and 
bogie centres. 

 
 

Corks must be replaced securely in all side rods and big 
ends. 

 
3.11 

BLOWING DOWN BOILERS 

 
 

When sufficient pressure is achieved, the safety valves are 
checked to ensure they lift at the correct pressure. 

 
 

The boiler is filled to three quarters of a glass of water and 
the boiler is blown down using both the scum cock and the 
blow down cock. 

 
3.12 

CYLINDERS TO BE WARMED 

 
 

Before moving an engine, which has been just lit-up, the 
cylinders shall be warmed by admission of a small amount of 
steam through the regulator with the reversing lever in the 
central position and the cylinder cock open. 

 
 

This should also expel any build up of water in the cylinders 
and prevent condensation through the chimney and damage 
to cylinder covers, piston heads etc. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chapter 4: - Attending Fires 

 
 

 

CHAPTER 4 

 
 

ATTENDING FIRES