Bill the builder
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I recently purchased a Pearse Colorado locomotive and am looking for operating instructions or manual. Can anyone help Me? Build number is 185.
Thanks
Thanks
Pearse Colorado Live Steam Locomotive.
- Thread starter Bill the builder
- Start date
Fred2179G
Registered
Bill, I just got a Pearse "Rio Grande" which is a 2-8-0 version. (Mine is a bit cleaner now!)
I didn't find anything particularly tricky about it. Ian Pearse went on to become Mr Accucraft-UK, so it bears a strong resemblance to an Accucraft loco.
Like any live steamer, you oil all around, fill the boiler with distilled water and remove 50ml, fill the gas tank with butane, and light the burner. When you see pressure on the gauge, put it in gear and open the throttle, reverse it, repeat until the water stops shooting out the chimney/stack, and then away you go.
Sounds simple, but it it takes practice! Your best bet would be to find a local steam group and pay them a visit, you'll get all the hands on advice you need
railwayman198
Registered
I have a Colorado. Purchased second hand with no instructions. The only difference from more modern locos is the single stick r/c. Works perfectly well.
Bill the builder
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I appreciate your response. Glad to hear from someone who has experience with this type of locomotive.
I am already into live steam having built several steam powered boats. So I'm familiar with live steam
Several initial questions:
1. how do you light the burner? Through the stack or through the burner nozzle?
2. When you say fill the boiler then remove 50 ml of water, Is this to keep some space above the waterline for the steam?
3. I recognize most of the steam components, but not sure of the function of a valve located at the left rear of the boiler. It has a copper tube going through the floor to the ground. Is this some sort of bleed valve to keep from overfilling the boiler? Please advise. See picture below.
I greatly appreciate your assistance. I may have other questions as I study this locomotive before starting it up.
Attachments
Fred2179G
Registered
1. On all these gas locos, you light them from the front. In our case, the stack, as the smokebox door is fixed. Once it lights, look down the stack and make sure the flame popped back to the burner. If you can see a blue flame, it is burning in the smokebox and that will char your paint.
To make it pop back, reduce the gas to almost nothing and then open it again to where it was.
2. Yes. If the boiler is full, you'll be pushing water into the cylinders instead of steam. There will still be a little water from steam condensing but it will clear faster if there is room.
3. That's a "blowdown" for releasing the steam pressure when you stop and turn off the gas. As the boiler cools and the steam condenses, it is reduced in volume so you want to let air in. If the throttle is open it will pull steam oil from the lubricator into the boiler, which is a royal pain to remove. My loco has a Goodall valve in the filler, and it allows air [or water] to enter the boiler, but not to leave. Without a Goodall, you need some way of releasing the steam pressure and letting air in to the boiler. Hence the blowdown valve.
If the environment cooperates, you might get some nice atmospheric shots of the blowdown like this
Bill the builder
Registered
I appreciate your assistance. What is the procedure for shutting down the locomotive?
I think if would be as follows:
1. shut off gas valve.
2. Open valve shown in my original picture, to release the boiler pressure.
What would be the next step?
Also:
3. What is the pressure setting of the safety valve?
4. What is the normal operating pressure?
5. What kind of maintenance or service should be done regularly?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Bill
I think if would be as follows:
1. shut off gas valve.
2. Open valve shown in my original picture, to release the boiler pressure.
What would be the next step?
Also:
3. What is the pressure setting of the safety valve?
4. What is the normal operating pressure?
5. What kind of maintenance or service should be done regularly?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Bill
Fred2179G
Registered
Be careful not to burn yourself when you open the blowdown!
I can't tell you what it was supposed to be from the factory. Fire it up and wait until it blows then read the gauge?
If the gauge shows 40 lbs and it hasn't blown, shut it off and get access to the safety valve (under a dome?) Then fire it up again and when it gets to 40, use a pair of needle nose pliers [don't want your fingers too close] to gently lift the pin on the valve. That will tell you if the safety valve is stuck.
Note: I haven't tried that on my Pearse engine, but I have seen my safety blowing steam.
Normal operating pressure in our locos is 30-50 lbs/sq in. One of my big engines would start on 20lbs.
Maintenance is mostly oil. After each run, when the engine is cool you can clean the oily crap off it. I personally drain the water out of the lubricator after cleaning, [remove cap and open valve underneath - when water stops coming out, close valve.] Then I refill the lubricator with "steam oil" and put the loco back on its shelf. Many people refill the lubricator before each run, so they know it is full. Either works. Search this website for more threads about steam oil.
All the moving parts - valve motion, axles, etc', need oil before you run. The oil needs to be turbine or sewing machine oil - stuff designed for moving bearings, not the 3-in-1 'penetrating' oil or the WD-40. [3-in-1 makes a 'turbine oil' in a blue can that is satisfactory.]
Many people 'oil all around' before each run. I personally am a little bit lax and only oil my locos after a few runs.
The water should be removed, and the oil topped up after every run really.
Be careful with adjusting the safety valve, they are usually set by the manufacturer who should have the blow off pressure written in the instructions. My Accucraft locos have a max of 60lbs, but will obviously work well at 40
I work to Water, Oil, Gas regime when prepping an engine. If you gas first and forget the water…… So like the too up of Oil after each run suggestion thus the regime would be:-
1 Fill to too of boiler with water (not tap water), remove around 40-50mm of water to allow steam to be created and stop pull through of too much water to cylinders.
2 Check Oil, fill if necessary depending on shut down routine.
3 Gas up loco till tank full, gas will overflow from valve when full.
4 Light up loco.
5 When working pressure achieved select forward gear, open regulator condensate will shoot up chimney. Close regulator select reverse gear open regulator. You may need to do forward and reverse a few times before smooth running.
6 Enjoy a run.
1 Fill to too of boiler with water (not tap water), remove around 40-50mm of water to allow steam to be created and stop pull through of too much water to cylinders.
2 Check Oil, fill if necessary depending on shut down routine.
3 Gas up loco till tank full, gas will overflow from valve when full.
4 Light up loco.
5 When working pressure achieved select forward gear, open regulator condensate will shoot up chimney. Close regulator select reverse gear open regulator. You may need to do forward and reverse a few times before smooth running.
6 Enjoy a run.
tac foley
Registered
Fred2179G - It was Donald Pearse, not his son Ian, who started off making Pearse Locomotives. Son joined him, and then later on, developed into Accucraft UK, Accucraft being an American-based company with offspring in Germany [MBV Schug] and Australia [Argyle Locomotive Works - Gordon Watson]. Donald designed many of the later Accucraft UK models, his masterpiece being the NGG16 Beyer-Garratt.
Above all, read the instructions!
Indeed but he did say it came with no instructions, I wonder can anyone link to a set online?
Bill the builder
Registered
One other question, how do I drain the water from the boiler when done? Do I just turn it upside down or is there a more sophisticated way to do it?
thanks
Bill
Fred2179G
Registered
Why do you want to drain the boiler - and I'm glad you mentioned water. Distilled water is the only acceptable option (unless it's a Regner.)
Distilled water is pretty harmless, so if you plan to use it again within a month or two, just leave the water in it.
I drain my locos as I only run them once a year, or less. And no, there isn't any better way than turning it upside down and shaking.
One has to be a bit careful with distilled water (not all is bad content free), my choice is from my de-humidifier but others prefer rainwater well sieved through a suitable thingy to remove any livestock or bits of junk in said rainwater.
Fred2179G
Registered
Bill is in the USA, where "steam-distilled" water is readily available in our supermarkets.
Paul - can you elaborate? What is set to 60 lbs - the safety? Most of my gauges go much higher than the safety is set for.
Whoops, Sorry I meant the valve, TBH I'm not sure what the gauge goes up to!
Jasper
Hey, I'm only being creative here!
Why are Regner locos supposed to be different?