Why are locomotive's stacks capped on retired engines? I figure it's because engine still runs and you don't want to get water in engine while it sits waiting for repair or to be sold? Or if an engine has died completely would you still cap the stack?
airman00 wrote:Why are locomotive's stacks capped on retired engines? I figure it's because engine still runs and you don't want to get water in engine while it sits waiting for repair or to be sold? Or if an engine has died completely would you still cap the stack?you are exactly right, a loco with its stacks capped might not be retired, but stored as well. Not capping the stack can let water down into the exhaust system of the engine, and then eventually into the motor itself.
While letting just plain water into an engine isn't the best thing in the world for it, the real damage comes when that water pools in there, and then it gets cold and freezes
then things can break, and of course, rot.If a loco is going to be OOS for a few weeks, chances are its stacks aren't going to be capped (unless maybe if its the winter time in a cold or rainy region) but if its longer than that, the caps should probably be capped.
Another reason is if the loco has had some major mechanical failure, and it is going to be retired/scrapped, the prime mover might still be good, or even if not, there might be good parts on it that could be salvaged and reused or sold.
If a loco has its stacked capped and "EFT" (empty fuel tank) or "dead and drained" or something like that, chances are its retired, and MAYBE going to be resold, but if its got EFT and its stacks aren't capped....there is probably a very good chance its going to be eaten by the big metal scissors. Of course, you can't always assume either to be a guarantee, but if the stacks are capped, the prime mover is probably salvagealbe at least, even if the rest of the loco isn't...
