Heya! I'm a complete beginner as far as steam locos are concerned. With a lot of online research, I sort of got a handle on how you operate steam locos on the mainline, but not in yards. Specifically, I'm wondering about these: How much should you mess with the cut-off? If you're just shunting a few cars around with short distances in between, do you still adjust it accordingly or do you mostly stay at full forwards/reverse? The cylinder cocks. Do you keep them open the whole time while shunting since you stop a lot? Do you open/close them as on the mainline? I read quite a bit about drifting and how you use steam to feather the pistons and keep them warm as well as lubricated. Is something like that even a point of consideration with shunting? Looking at some shunting demonstrations online, it looked as though the drains are actually closed most of the time while shunting, even when starting. What (if any) head code would a shunting loco (on Peak Valley if that changes anything) show? I noticed that the 4F seems to display class K on Peak Valley in timetable mode. Is that prototypical? Thank you for your help in advance. Cheers
Not sure if you need a headcode or not for shunting but I've been going off this. Re cylinder cocks: my dad who was a fireman on the bluebell said they wouldn't have to be on all the time when moving. Its basically to get water out of the cylinders but as long as you're not sat still for too long I think its okay. As the drivers on the bluebell apparently used to have them open for the first services but not after and they'd be sat at stations etc? Or at least rhat was my understanding
If you want a reasonable lamp code, then Class K isn't the worst choice by any standard. It's the correct code for a pick-up goods which would be stopping to shunt pretty frequently, but overall making progress along the main line. You could also fit Class G or J plus a tail lamp at both ends, which is what later diesel shunters were often fitted to display. This would be appropriate for extended shunting operations within a single yard. As for manoeuvring, using full forward and reverse gears, and just cracking the regular open, would be normal practice. This offers maximum available starting reliability and effort, and the rapid consumption of steam aids in controlling the locomotive. Efficiency is not a factor (and is just accepted to be very bad, to be mitigated by using the smallest type of engine capable of the work). Practice makes perfect here. The cylinder cocks would be opened when the cylinders are cold enough to cause steam to condense into water within them, and closed otherwise. However, you might sometimes find it easier to perform fine manoeuvring with the cocks open, because that steadily drains pressure from the steam chest and cylinders.
coursetim, Taihennami, thank you both so much for your input! There’s a lot to wrap your head around with steam but I’m having an absolute blast learning about all this!
