Building an HO Scale Fireless Steam Locomotive

[@CR7659]

A fireless cooker is like the air tank on a compressor or that you use to inflate car tires - just larger. They charge it up with steam and it runs until the pressure gets too low. It's both cleaner and with no on board fire it can run in places where having that fire might be an explosion hazard. Often these were painted bright yellow, or grey, rather than black.

[@HoundOfBaskerville]

The locomotive itself may be cleaner but not really due to the fact that they still had to create steam to fill it with

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for the info

[@eageraurora879]

@@HoundOfBaskerville steam or compressed air, though the latter was much more uncommon. Either way all the energy to pressurize rhe Gas has to come from somewhere in the end right?

[@HoundOfBaskerville]

@@eageraurora879 exactly but it’s the same amount of pollution if not more just not in the direct area of use

[@markrickert9040]

Operation is more like a cryogenic tank than a simple storage tank. What is piped in is normally supper-heated steam (which is more energy efficient at doing work and can be made from the same heat source by extracting more energy from the combustion gas). It would be "steam" if it was allowed to vent to atmosphere but since its under pressure it remains a liquid. From the filling process there is some "head" of steam gas that wants to toggle between liquid and gas. As the locomotive draws off steam the pressure drops slightly and more of the water becomes a gas increasing the pressure ans stopping more water from converting and slightly "cools" the liquid. The cycle continues as steam gets used and water is converted the contents slowly cool though both loss though the boiler shell and energy conversion when changing states. The pressure in the boiler drops as the temperature cannot maintain the high state of steam with the draw off. Eventually the pressure and temperature become such that little or on useful work can be done. Then its time to recharge. At recharge, the super heated steam than heats the water and steam in the boiler back up to well over the boiling point and the cycle begins anew.

[@charlescrawford7039]

Besides power plants and steel mills, these locomotive types were used at chemical and armament manufacturing plants since they did not have an open flame like conventional steam locos. As noted below the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg has one on display. Thanks for the informative video!

[@steffenrosmus9177]

Not were used, some are still in use today due to the lack of alternatives. But the model is wrong on 99 % of the prototypes the cylinders are underneath the cab to kerp the piping short.

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for the info

[@apogeelocoworks4370]

@@steffenrosmus9177 if you look at H.K. porter, heisler and Davenport prototypes you will see the cylinders in this configuration. Most European prototypes did have the cylinders under the cab.

[@colbeausabre8842]

@@steffenrosmus9177 That was the practice on European Fireless Cookers, US practice was as shown in the model

[@Kboyer36]

These fireless locomotives were basically a high pressure tank that either held steam or compressed air from an external boiler or compressor. The big use I was familiar of was for mineshafts. This solved two problems. You couldn't have an engine belching out smoke in a confined space and occasionally you would tunnel into a pocket of gas and having the open flame of a traditional steam engine could act as an ignition source.

[@marsandcobblesproductions3501]

In the UK they were in places like Munitions as the high level of a spark could end in disaster

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for the info

[@arrow1414]

@Joymon Creations Harrison.

[@garysprandel1817]

Fireless steam engines were mainly used in areas where an open flame of a firebox was an extraordinarily bad idea like oil refineries, gas plants, etc. Since those industries usually still needed steam for various processes they'd run a steam pipe to the area the steamers worked so they could get a fresh change of steam. IIRC there were a couple of power plants in the 70s still using fireless steamers. Maybe some zebra stripes decals for the pilots.

[@WH32R]

Grain and sugar mills as well, as the fine powders and dust from the manufacturing processes could create explosive atmospheres. Even some metal working plants used them for that reason.

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for sharing

[@hmhobbies]

They usually painted them more colorful than other conventional steam locomotives because they didn’t run on coal which meant that coal dust and soot wouldn’t tarnish the paint.

[@hexxoid9263]

Huh, always wondered why they were all so colorful. Thanks for the info!

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for sharing.

[@hmhobbies]

@@SMTMainlineyour welcome 🤗

[@charlesdulude1713]

I just serviced my Bachman CN #3594 engine thanks to your videos now it’s running flawlessly .

[@SMTMainline]

That's awesome, glad to hear it :)

[@mattsmocs3281]

The shell is based loosely off the Pennsylvania Power & Light Shamokin Dam 0-6-0F’s which were the last fireless locos to operate regularly in the US!

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for sharing

[@felixfelix9062]

That's a pretty loco! I like the concept of re-shelling locos!

[@jasonrackawack9369]

Neat build, love those engines, you nailed the look of them.

[@JDWorkshop-wn9tt]

It is a very cool model kit! I knew a guy that had a real one of these. We climbed around on it. A thermos with running gear basically!

[@Anguskowald]

Nice train I have wanted one of those trains for a while

[@CptInside]

Awesome as allways! :) Btw, in germany These Kind of locomotives were called "Dampfspeicherlokomotive". One is located not far from were I live on Display at a Former Factory called "Brikettfabrik Louise". Greetings!

[@DowneastProductions211]

Nice looking engine!

[@jimdingsdale7456]

Very interesting kit. You must have quite a collection. My dad and i used to have a large layout in the basement, lotsa fun

[@nicholmansgarage3501]

I always thought these things were neat. As a younger kid, I thought they were streamlined tank engines lol. Here in PA, most of the railroad museums I've visited have had one of these sitting around somewhere. The "Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania" in Strasburg has two. One is an 0-4-0 painted bright orange, the other an 0-8-0 painted a beautiful, brilliant blue. Really neat engines, and a really neat video!

[@markrickert9040]

not having the high maintenance fireboxes and their associated hardware the fireless locomotives were easier to keep around, particularly handy for moving just a few cars at low speed were high horsepower and long range are not needed.

[@4everdc302]

The fellow might have a future in doing odd ball stuff. I'm intrigued👍🚂🇨🇦

[@dominicdebruin-f2l]

it looks very good with the cooker shell

[@joseflavallee8577]

Most forelegs "cookers" did not have lights as the dynamo would use up too much steam. They operated in small factory areas with access to steam lines.

[@randyoehling303]

That's a Vulcan. Used in steel industry, would look good in a steel mill setting pushing a train of ingot cars.

[@vintagethrifter2114]

It's a Heisler, not a Vulcan.

[@SMTMainline]

@@vintagethrifter2114 Whichever it is, I like the name

[@northerncountryrailroad8939]

Very cool

[@callingalltrainfans9891]

I have to say, at first I wasn't sure how that would look, but in the end, it turned out to be a very fine model. I really like how ALW is going about starting a model railroad company. They are making unique kits that nobody else really makes. Good for them!

[@SMTMainline]

I agree, I hope they find success in it

[@williammcgeehan3424]

Some fireless cookers were used into the early 1970's.

[@SMTMainline]

I wasn't aware of that

[@haroldalexis4200]

Nice shell it fit to a T. That's a nice conversion from the Bachmann original. Now this makes me want to do a project like this. I Enjoyed viewing. 🙂

[@SMTMainline]

Thanks for watching.

[@BMMEC6000]

Seen this all over eBay and I’ve actually seen one of these in real life. Very interesting.

[@robertterry9367]

great video

[@robertcrundwell2782]

Interesting model

[@amyreynolds3619]

NCTM in North Carolina has a Duke power had a waterless boiler locomotive and she is a yellowish brown color and not black. I use to volunteer at that museum when I lived near Charlotte NC.

[@northerncountryrailroad8939]

Would you ever in the future do more on this engine? Maybe windows, headlight, maybe even a crew

[@ottawaemergencyvideography]

Excellent video!!!

[@PoconoMountaineer405]

awsome build, i have the kit but its hard to find the bachmann 0-6-0T

[@bgmarmon]

The kit calls for a Bachmann Porter o-6-o. But I installed my on a Bachmann 0-6-0 saddletank engine with the same results. I think it could be installed on a Mantua chassis but i haven't tried yet.

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

Awesome 🚂👍

[@ianvital8834]

There is more potential to his conversion kit. Well he can 3d print interior parts for the cabin. The cabin interior would be a plus that would sell it

[@SMTMainline]

It might be a good suggestion to the creator.

[@ianvital8834]

@@SMTMainline also a mini figure to be the driver

[@markwilliams2620]

The body shell looks like resin, which is brittle and not as flexible as styrene. Hence, thin parts crack easier. Nice work, as always. Taking all the screws out was how I figured out how to disassemble the 4-8-2 from Maine Modelworks. The motor was pre-Pittman and the lone wire was fiber wrapped-IE 40's-50's vintage.

[@The_Canadian_Railfan]

Now this is cool

[@cnwproductions]

Finally, after so long, WE FINALLY GOT IT DONE

[@SMTMainline]

Yessir

[@nitrorrat8190]

Looks awesome

[@americanflyersscaletrains4369]

It looks good

[@jaysontadlock1871]

Apogee locomotive works rocks! Aaron made me a 1:64 version of the PPAL loco.

[@crewleaderprods]

There's a trolley museum in Warehouse Point Connecticut that has one on static display.

[@SMTMainline]

Good to know

[@MSRTA_Productions]

Just wanna point out to spray a clear coat after painting so that the paint doesn't scratch off or fade from sunlight (even tho it's in a basement but still) Anyways great conversion!

[@SMTMainline]

It's a good idea but I didn't want it to look to glossy.

[@arrow1414]

@@SMTMainline Flat and semi-gloss clear coat is available.🙂

[@joseflavallee8577]

Apogge has great products. I have two of his electric locomotives.

[@tiam4152]

you could also use some clear plastic or "see through" colored plastic to make a lighted control panel or something like that inside the cab. paint off the edges and surfaces you dont want light coming through at.

[@SMTMainline]

Good idea

[@strobson1]

looks good Harrison with aloha

[@shockstrains5077]

i love the shell!

[@dkaustin98]

When I was in my twenties, I lived in Carmel, Indiana on the North side of Indianapolis. My work required me to venture into downtown Indianapolis often. Between two buildings up on what used to be the raised trolley tracks sat one of those engines. That one was painted black. It sat up there for many years and it remained in that location. In my late twenties I moved away. That was forty years ago. It might have been part of a museum collection. I do not know. I do know that during that time there was a big effort to convert the old empty factories into condos and to bring young families into the old Victorian homes in the downtown area. Maybe someone here knows what happened to that steam pot?

[@mercuryoak2]

I remember seeing this when you got it. Also they have a Instagram page as well. Looks neat something that you probably would see in the factory industry area on far side of layout.

[@Trainmanproductions]

Looking at the shell pre painted it looks like it was made with a resin printer so if I had to take a guess it is probably an nontoxic resin that was used and in my experience that resin is super brittle at certain Temps and has the tendency to break on its own as the Temps fluctuate so it would seem to be a material choice issue. I would reccomend to the seller that they switch to a more temp resistant resin

[@XBOXShawn12thman]

Wow ... Thats Neat ... I like it 😁

[@bodenjohnson2961]

Boise Junction Trains Carries a majority of Apogee Locomotive Works products. There kits are pretty neat.

[@RichardEKranz]

When painting you should use a primer first then the color you need. Just a good habit to have.

[@mercuryoak2]

At 4:25 i paused video its paint and primer. Same stuff I use myself not sure if you know they do make that type.

[@SMTMainline]

It's something I should be doing more often.

[@spankyham9607]

Looks like a Resin 3d print. They are known to be delicate .

[@KCDash4400cw]

Thats really neat

[@joallawestervelt6918]

What a cool project. Turned out really nice. Though, other than why they were converted, I have to say I am really partial to the original. 😊 ❤

[@SMTMainline]

Both good looking deigns but pretty different.

[@Jules-zo3ds]

Surely the weight/light diffuser from inside the front of the boiler should have been moved into the new shell. It looks like it also had the thread for the screw. I'm guessing there's something similar in the back of the Bachmann body that needed to be moved across. Did the kit have any instructions? I'm also surprised there was no glazing in the kit.

[@SMTMainline]

Probably so.

[@MiniModellingOfficial]

How expensive was the bachmann locomotive? Love your videos!

[@MMRails]

“Let’s just start unscrewing all the screws and see what happens” I think this could be your next catch phrase. Looks good!

[@SMTMainline]

I like it. If you don't know what to do, try everything! What could possibly go wrong?

[@dalecherne5377]

With all the repair and building that you do, have you ever considered getting a 3D Printer?

[@warrenvalentino5763]

Great video! i do know that the fireless steam locomotives were used during world war 2. so there would not be any smoke to give the train's location away. Awesome looking engine! :)

[@massmike11]

They were also used in places where fire was bad. And while some did use compressed air, most ran on steam fed from a stationary boiler under pressure in the tank.

[@Vinyl_guy]

good thing to now have a freight yard to use it in

[@SMTMainline]

Absolutely!

[@ChristopherBrown-mq1lg]

Would look good switching a string of Hershey boxcars at your factory 👍

[@SMTMainline]

It might be fun.

[@paveloleynikov4715]

No decals? If i see correctly, original shell has some weight on front, does conversion shell has provision to use this?

[@haunted1659]

"Let's remove screws until something happens" is how I do maintanance on my models

[@SMTMainline]

Sometimes it's what you've gotta do.

[@haunted1659]

@@SMTMainline especially with my bad habit of buying 2nd hand locomotives that noone wants

[@JDWorkshop-wn9tt]

I want that kit!😃

[@jonas2431]

Cool

[@brettachey3574]

If you use your imagination it looks like it can be a yard steam switcher because of how big the boilers is

[@SMTMainline]

Maybe so

[@BIG_RED_PRODUCTIONS_official]

Hey I'm pretty sure the light on the back is is meant to be the light of Whatever fuel they use to make the train run because it's not fire because it's called a fireless engine

[@antonbruce1241]

Very nice! But...where's the rear coupler???

[@SMTMainline]

I removed it and forgot to reinstall it lol

[@antonbruce1241]

@@SMTMainline Don't feel bad...it's not like you're the ONLY one who has ever done that (he typed while trying to shirk away...).

[@anthonyj.adventures9736]

They have a few at the RR museum of PA in Strasburg. 1 is from Pennsylvania Power & Lighting its blue then the other i forget the road name but its bright orange.

[@kentcummings3315]

Hey smt. I got a dozen locos that need to be fixed. How does that work? Power torque and mantua drives. However I would like to get em back.

[@michaelmckinnon7314]

Don't forget to duck when the massive fireball starts

[@paulburns3788]

Hello SMT mainline how are you doing buddy I like the kit that you put together I think it's cool looking 😎

[@SMTMainline]

Good, how are you?

[@paulburns3788]

@@SMTMainline I'm alright

[@theprivyline484]

If you ever make it to the railroad museum of Pennsylvania they have a few of these units

[@stephenclaridge1896]

Nice video, Question.. Did you convert it back to it's original shell?

[@SMTMainline]

I left it as is.

[@harperlarry49]

I have the same Bachmann Porter locomotive. Maybe I will get a second one and do that same conversion. Nice review. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe - Larry.

[@jnnmlchr91]

How do you have 2 trains connected by a switch but one runs while the other doesn’t?

[@joybjorklund3144]

This is nothing related but where did you get your 2000 centennial

[@kirkhodson1466]

I wish they'd do a SP whaleback tender in HO

[@maltnz]

Does the rear coupler go back on?

[@SMTMainline]

Yeah, I just forgot to reinstall it.

[@angelalucito2740]

I own that exact 0-6-0

[@brandonharris7516]

Oh

[@UPRailfan]

Suprisingly one of these lasted all the way to the 1980s, they were actually pretty decent

[@NW-gi1cp]

That's cool

[@yestrainsalwaystrains7155]

I'd have to admit, I think if SMT mainline used that leftover shell of the tank engine and cut it to make it look like it has sunk into the ground and paint it like it turned into rust and put in the new train yard. My opinion

[@oscartorres96]

Nice Video SMT Also SMT what is the Best Track Cleaner I Can Get for my Kato Track also is it Bad To Double head a Locomotive to Pull long Trains and MY AHM Made in ASTURIA Spirit of 1776 Has Weight on it In the Fuel Tank can it pull a Long Trains in the Condition it is ?

[@SMTMainline]

If the locos are DCC speed match them. If they're DC, wouldn't run them together unless they have the same drive.

[@oscartorres96]

@@SMTMainline Thank You

[@mixtec53]

EL GATO NERFF!!!

[@ontariorail1251]

where did you get that 0-6-0 steam locomotive?

[@robertcrundwell2782]

No printed step-by-step instructions, or exploded drawing? If not that's something the company should work on

[@apogeelocoworks4370]

Hello Robert, All ALW kits include an instruction page, describing in detail the assembly of the kit.

[@robertcrundwell2782]

@@apogeelocoworks4370 would have been nice if it was shown are mentioned in the video I'm a diesel mad myself but I found that very interesting. I could see a model of it sitting in my yard.

[@robertcrundwell2782]

Just read what I wrote. Sometimes I hate voice to text, LOL!

[@GSMRFan]

I added a light to mine on the front but over the year or so of owning the shell snapped which is sad

[@SMTMainline]

That's too bad

[@BP_211yt]

SMT you should paint the porter shell all rusty and abandoned looking

[@SMTMainline]

That's a cool idea. Might just do it with some mat spray paint.

[@myvideosetc.8271]

I'm astonished that they are using a mini drone motor in that locomotive, the speed of this tin cans is insane. Edit, also maybe get some transparent material from a packaging or similar and create the windows.

[@SMTMainline]

I was surprised to that motor too. I don't think it would take much to burn it out if someone wasn't careful.

[@nicwilson6391]

You should do a video on how to upgrade the smoke system on HO steam engine to make them smoke more or better

[@SMTMainline]

I wouldn't know how unfortunately.

[@brandonharris7516]

Do you have another one of that steam engine

[@SMTMainline]

I don't

[@brandonharris7516]

@@SMTMainline oh well maybe you should

[@SouthwestRailfanProductions]

We need an SD59 kit from them

[@Gfysimpletons]

That wouldn’t fit on that chassis……….lol

[@SouthwestRailfanProductions]

@@Gfysimpletons I meant for an SD60M model silly

[@Gfysimpletons]

@@SouthwestRailfanProductions lol

[@jayProVR]

Hi how you been

[@SMTMainline]

Good, how are you?

[@jayProVR]

@@SMTMainline fine

[@erikthepirate8068]

I've never seen anything like it.

[@the_autism_express]

Does anyone know where I can get one if those porter 0-6-0T locomotives? I've tried the bachmann website and Amazon, but i can't find them on either of those sites

[@kevinjennerproductions2024]

Ebay

[@the_autism_express]

@@kevinjennerproductions2024 tried that too, I can only find shells that would fit on the porter's chassis

[@SMTMainline]

I wish I knew of somewhere other than eBay to look.

[@the_autism_express]

@@SMTMainline I think my local hobby shop might have this engine? but that's a hard *MIGHT*

[@HMSOLYMPIC]

Do more videos with your rivarossi big boy

[@SMTMainline]

That's the plan

[@richardquebec5850]

Super de bonne idée, merci je vais m'enregistré a son site.

[@SMTMainline]

Merci beaucoup

[@michaellindsey8044]

This engine look just fine like it was should keep it like it was

[@SMTMainline]

I could easily change it back if wanted.