The place I'm at now, actually sends out starting instructions, with the DOB's!!! Evidentally, somebody had issues starting a loco, or NOT starting one, and management decided we were all botards, as well. NO mention of draining cylinders mentioned, in their memo, though........
I've never opened the test cocks, prior to starting a loco, except for two times. On the I&O, we were told to grab an engine, from McCullough shop, and head out to rescue a stalled train. The only loco available, that wasn't dead on the law, or down for mechanical defects (like a shattered drawbar, thanks Mayfield) was a Geep 40. I went through the procedure to start her, but only clicking came from the starters. Several more attempts and the same results. I called the RH foreman, to ask him to send someone to jump the loco, for us. He said help was "on the way". I had to notify the manager on duty, as well. I called the TM on duty and he said the loco had "issues", and to just hold the start switch, and eventually it would crank. I tried again, and after about 30 seconds of holding the start switch, she finally turned over, and started. She then died, about 15 seconds later, with no resets being tripped. (CC, LOP, LW, OS) We decided to power-nap, while awaiting the mechanic. He finally arrived, and we explained the deal to him. He then informed us, this loco had a cracked head, and was due for some shop time. He began opening test cocks, and the number six cylinder, when opened, poured out almost a gallon of water. After draining the cylinder, and turning it over with this cylinder open, it fired and ran. after a few seconds, he shut the cock, and said we were good to go. The engine ran fine, with no knocking, and no apparent damage, other than the original cracked head. Most locos are "just started", without draining first. How many EMD's have you been on, without a bar welded on the cock, to open it? When was the last time you saw a test cock wrench? Last week, a loco we had, wouldn't crank over, until we opened the cocks, and relieved the pressure. (weak batteries) As she started turning over (the cndr was cranking it) I started closing cocks, until she fired. She was running, with huge blasts of fuel and air, and sometimes fire, blasting from the ports, until they closed. This loco had bars welded across the ends of the cocks, to facilitate opening them.
Some roads have requirements for draining cylinders, some don't. Never saw ANY type of fluid flow from a cylinder, until that time on the I&O. Unless there is a leak in the head, the chances of enough water collecting in a cylinder, to actually damage the loco, or to water-lock it, are very slim. Condensation isn't sufficient, to cause this to occur, and there are visible signs, of a coolant leak, into a cylinder anyways. (loss of water, white exhaust, bubbles in the coolant, high water temps, etc) This is how it happens, in the real world. You might get into trouble, "delaying" a job, to blow down cylinders........
