Sanding

[conradin]

I notice that Bachmann used to have a Diesel fueling and sanding facility kit..

I want to know what sanding is.  I read that Steam loco needs sand to help traction on the rails.  Diesel needs to do the same?

Where does the sand store in a Diesel?  When does the engineer decide to sand?  How does he do it?  Is there a time or circumstances which he has to do it?

PS. Where is the fuel inside a diesel, and also where is the water (cooling)?
Does anyone has a blueprint or diagram to show what a typical diesel design looks like (the inside)?

[Mike]

Sanding is just as necessary for a diesel as for a steamer. If you look at the top of the hood on most diesels, you will see a short 6" diameter pipe with cover near the end. Sand  is added there regularly. Sand is applied by pushing a button on the control stand. It flows onto the rail through pipes that end just in front of/behind the wheels. Modern diesels have automatic sanding, applied whenever wheel slip is detected. Typically, when you pull up to a string of cars where you suspect you might have a little trouble getting a good start, you "lay down a little sand" as you pull up to the cars. It really makes a difference in the available traction.- Mike S.

[taz-of-boyds]

The fuel tank is below the chassis between the trucks in the diesels I have seen.

Cooling seems to be radiators under the fans on the top of the loco, someone please correct me if I have misunderstood.

From a mostly steamer,
Charles

[Mike]

More diesel info: The main reservoir for the cooling is usually on the front of the prime mover (the actual diesel engine), very near the radiators. We often warm our meals by placing them on the flat shelf formed by the air flow plates and the tank. Hot pizza anyone?!! An interesting bit of info... most engines, at least on larger lines, us no antifreeze... just rust inhibitor. That's why you  often see unoccupied engines idling in winter. With CSX, we were instructed to leave the engines running if the temperature was 40 degrees or below, or if it was forecast to drop below 40. Some engines actually have valves that open and drain the engine at low temperature rather than risk freezing the block (expensive with a capital E!!). The justification I was given for no antifreeze was protection of the environment.- Mike S.

[rogertra]

[url]http://www.railway-technical.com/diesel.shtml[url/]

Try this link for how a diesel loco works

[Jake]

Umm roger, the URL tags arent fr inserting an address, they are for a hyperlink, like this

Code Select Expand

[url=type web address here]type word here[/url] And you get what I showed above. Oh BTW, the hyperlink goes to the page you linked to.

[Paul M.]

If you don't want a hyperlink just type in the address, and it'll automatically give a link.

http://www.railway-technical.com/diesel.shtml