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I have seen 2 photos of a Locomotive shooting flames from its stack, it said they were straining to pull frieght up a hill, and the strain caused flames, and the crew didnt seem to care that there loco was shooting a 5 to 6 foot flame from its single stack, (the Locomotive looked like a Dash-8 with Conventional cab),, is that normal?
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Eric Member # 674
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I don't believe that this was strain, but fuel that had escaped consumption, causing it to combust and create the flames. Can someone elaborate on this? Thanks. ~Eric
TheBriz09 Member # 3166
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I can't really elaborate that much, but I seem to recall reading an article somewhere (I think in Trains magazine) about how this occurs is medium altitudes, maybe 4000-6000 feet, and it happens when an engineer comes out of dynamic braking quickly back into power, which causes fuel to escape combustion or something like that, as Eric said, and this causes flame at the stack. I think they originally discovered this because the flames were causing grass fires, and they didn't know why these fires were happening. So they discovered it was the locomotives.
boyishcolt Member # 3001
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2 stroke Diesel engines blow carbon off the pistons usually caused bye lugging the engine
F59PHI2014 Member # 3076
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Hi,
This is caused by the hogger (engineer) putting the unit in "run" immeadietly after an application of dynamic braking. It is very common on the GE locomotivs from what I understand. After coming out of dynamics he is supposed to wait 10 seconds BEFORE notching up on the throttle, however somtimes you cannot wait that 10 seconds, and it results in the gigantic plume of fire and somke to come out of the exhaust stacks. Hope that made sense, if not ask and ill try to clarify.
-Nick
Jim Member # 65
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What was written may have been true on older locomotives, it isn't true on modern EFI-equipped units.
Flame from the stack is caused by some engine failure, such as the turbocharger. It has nothing to do with "straining" to pull.
Sheriff Member # 2521
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I'm not too sure about the new locomotives, but I know when the old ones were turned off and set for a few days (which rarely happens, and you crank them back up, it blows the soot out when a strain is put on the engine. I've seen 10 foot flames come out, and sparks flying everywhere.
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