[modeleng] Re: Corn

George,

We are discussing the merits of possibly using the corn kernels as fuel
instead of coal or wood.  (Of course a few wise acres on the list took it as
an opportunity to try to claim I use the boiler of my Newbie locomotive for
other than running around the tracks.) Mechanical Engineer Bill Bowser has
pointed out that corn kernels would probably have about the same BTU value
as wood, so if one can burn wood in his locomotive successfully, then corn
should work just fine.  Mention was made of a locomotive made by a gentleman
named Klockenburg who lived near St. Louis, Missouri and burned corn cobs in
one of his locomotives.  This 2-8-0 Pennsylvania RR locomotive with "Route
of the Corn Cobs" painted on its tender comes to most of the Mid-South Live
Steamer meets, but now burns coal.  Klockenburg worked for a corncob pipe
factory and had access to reject pipe bowls and pieces of cobs.  The
locomotive is now owned by Tim Mikko of near St. Louis.

Some of our steam farm traction engines had boilers designed to burn wheat
straw.  The New Huber had a return flue boiler with very large fire door.
The door was actually a gravity flap which kept the opening closed except
when fresh straw was actually being shoved through it.  Apparently it was a
fairly successful design a there were a lot of New Hubers built in the age
of steam.  BTW: No one has ever seen an Old Huber!

Jesse in Tennessee USA


> Ferment it, and then burn it?  What a waste!
>
> To stay on topic, are we talking about corn stalks, or corn cobs as fuel?
> Or both?  I've been watching the thread develop and some posts seem to
> suggest one, and some the other.  I've seen baled wheat straw used for
> firing industrial power plants, but I don't know if the idea caught on.
One
> problem was the fire flashing from the firebox to the (mechanically fed)
> fresh bale.  This was overcome with an air lock.
>
> George Coles

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