Re: R711 (and other WCR stuff)

[Craig Haber <albatross@harnessnet.com.au>]

Yuri J Sos/Melbourne AUS wrote:
> 
> sthyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au (Stuart Thyer) wrote, and I selectively
> quote:
> 
> >Oil firing traditionally is very hard on boilers, the on/off nature of oil has
> >a dramatic effect in terms of temperature fluctuations, which in turn, can
> >lead to problems with boilers cracking etc.

It's an interesting decision by SRV, Stuart how serious a problem are
coal supplies at the moment?  I know it's been a problem at times, I'm
told (by a regular driver) the stuff in use at Puffing Billy is not
ideal, and when their existing supply is used there could be problems in
getting any more.
> 
> >We would need fuel on site plus some way of providing fuel on
> >any longer tours.

True, but a tanker wagon (in similar vein to the usage to the VOAF (?)
coal wagon) would not be hard to obtain - there was recently a number
for sale advertised in one of the local rail mags.

Yuri wrote:
> In addition, refuelling with diesoline from a road tanker (as done by
> graders, bulldozers, etc in road construction and mining) would seem
> to be an easy (easier than front-end loaders) way of providing fuel
> both "on site" and on longer tours.  You've surely seen these tankers
> ranging up in size from little "mini mixer"-like trucks running around
> town, filling a variety of on-site machinery.  Given the competitive
> nature of the petroleum industry, I would imagine prices to be keener
> than hiring a front-end loader, and *no* capital investment in new
> fuel handling facilities.

You're right, and that's not a problem (as per fuelling diesel loco's
from road tanker), but reclaimed sump oil is the more likely fuel, and I
believe that's what R711 will be using.
> 
> R711- oil, Y112 - coal, J536 - oil, D3 688(have I got the right #?)
> coal..... WCR don't seem fazed by more than one fuel type.

But then Yuri you can't be real choosy when you're picking up steam
loco's from parks and the like :)

Cheers,
CH.
-- 
Craig Haber
albatross@harnessnet.com.au
Manufacturing Systems Engineer (almost) 
Web Page Designer, Harness Racing, Railways, and Essendon Football Club
fanatic
http://www.harnessnet.com.au/