Topics

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General Discussion / Oil Headlights - Sourcing Information on Light Output

« on: June 16, 2025, 08:12:05 PM »

Hello all. As of late, I've fallen into a rabbit hole of oil headlights, but even in spite of digging out expired patents and reading period catalogs such as from the Star Headlight and Lantern Co. from 1915, I'm having trouble finding accurate and cited sources about how bright the headlights get at the burners. The Star catalog linked in this post references some states having requirements of headlights able to "distinguish an object the size of a man at a distance of 600ft." But that doesn't tell me how bright the lamp is at the burner, nor what the criteria is for discerning a man at 600ft is. Modern FRA code is very clear about candela requirements at specific distances and angles, but I cannot prove an oil lamp will meet those requirements with the sources I have for peak brightness based on burner/fuel type. Most sources I have are for kerosene lanterns which use flat wicks, whereas headlights of the day tended to use hollow round wicks with a center draft arrangement. Wikipedia has a table comparing peak brightnesses in candlepower, watts and lumens but doesn't cite any source so I am hesitant to use those figures.
If anyone has technical journals or documents, both modern and historic that can provide any more information about oil headlight light output they would be greatly appreciated.

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General Discussion / Cleaning Engines Historically

« on: February 12, 2025, 04:07:23 PM »

Hello all. Historically, what would the procedure have been for cleaning equipment? I've noticed in some images, even our own #9 was kept shiny all around, during the early days on the SRR when covered stations dotted the line.

I've heard that at least in some parts of the world, kerosene/paraffin oil was used, often mixed with oil to keep locomotives clean and sparkly, but is there any documentation about what was used in Maine, on the 2-footers? Would the modern equivalent materials cause active damage to equipment?

I ask because one of my favorite jobs is to wipe down #9, keeping 'er nice and pretty.

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Monson Railroad / Monson 3 and 4's Throttles

« on: July 03, 2024, 01:44:04 PM »

Reading through older newsletters (specifically for the 2-foot Musings by Ellis Walker) he brings up Monson 3 and 4's throttles and that when they arrived to Edaville they had quote "simple screw-type steam heat radiator valves, in place of conventional throttles." From the March/April 2015 edition of the newsletter. He also mentions lack of proof for this being the case.

I guess my question boils down to if this was *likely* to have been the case. Were other Vulcan engines built with this arrangement, or was this just rumor rooted in pure myth? Could it have also been a temporary addition when the engines were first restored to run at Edaville? Is there any evidence to this being the case on either engine?