OIL AS LOCOMOTIVE FUEL 103 



subsequent to this fire, he made a rather careful study of the possibilities 

 of oil burning locomotives setting fire to the right of way, and found, 

 that, under certain circumstances, the oil burning engine could be as 

 dangerous, if not more dangerous, than the ordinary coal burner. 

 The crude oil in use as fuel throughout western Montana and northern 

 Idaho has a heavy percentage of carbon. This carbon clings to the flues 

 and stack of the engine despite the ordinary heavy draft. A coating 

 of this oil-soaked carbon in the flues decreases the steaming power. 

 In order to get rid of the carbon, the engines are equipped with an extra 

 supply of sand. This sand is shot forcibly through the flues and out 

 of the stack. A green fireman sometimes allows the soot to accumulate 

 in the flues until it becomes difficult for him to maintain the requisite 

 steam pressure. The accumulated carbon in the flues may commence 

 burning. The fireman shoots in his sand and forces the burning oil- 

 soaked soot out of the smoke stack in a sheet of flame. This settles on 

 the right of way and would naturally set fire to any inflammable material 

 with which it came in contact. With an experienced fireman this dan- 

 ger is reduced to the minitntim, since it is to his advantage to keep his 

 flues from becoming clogged with soot, by frequent injections of sand. 



President of Lake Whatcom Logging Co., Bellingham, Wash. — ^We 

 consider our locomotives as absolutely safe from fire, but just as much, 

 or even perhaps, greater, skill is required in firing with oil, than in 

 firing with coal or wood ; with proper application of dry sand at the right 

 time the flues are kept swept clean of any accumulations such as you 

 describe. 



J. L. Bridge, Chief Fire Warden, Washington Forest Fire Associa- 

 tion, Seattle, Wash. — There is certainly less fire risk in connection with 

 the use of oil as fuel than in either coal or wood and in Western Washing- 

 ton we have been urging the use of oil with railway companies, log- 

 ging companies, and others who use locomotives in the course of their 

 operations. Since the installation of oil burning locomotives on some 

 of the railway lines in Western Washington, we have considered it safe 

 to greatly reduce our patrol in these localities. Railways, of course, 

 are highways for tramps, and for this reason we have felt that they 

 needed a certain amount of watching, but the risk of fire being started 

 by the locomotives is cut to a minimum. 



Northwestern Pacific Railroad Co. — In comparing the cost of coal 

 and oil, our experience shows that four barrels of oil are approximately 

 equal to a ton (2240 lbs.) of coal. The ruling price of oil in this market 

 now is 7SC. a barrel. I do not believe you could buy Australian or 

 British Columbia steam coal by the cargo, for less than $6.50 a ton. 

 These prices vary, of course, for both coal and oil, but the difference 

 in cost as fuel is always largely in favour of oil. It has other advantages 



