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They use a “super-economical”, 0.75 m gauge, and burn fuel oil of 10,500 to 11,500-calorie quality (a much higher value than coal). A calorie is the quantity of heat needed to raise1º Celsius the temperature of 1 litre of water. To describe its operation, a steam locomotive can be divided in three parts
The boiler consists of four parts:
Firebox: It comprises two boxes, an internal one where combustion takes place, and an external one. There is a separation between these two, called water chamber, where water is heated to produce steam. The two boxes are fixed together on their underside by a main frame to which the steel plates are riveted. From this frame to the firebox top they are fastened by stays and braces. Cylindrical Body: It is formed by ring-shaped plates. Inside this cylinder, there are many pipes called flues, through which the hot combustion gases from the firebox exit into the smokebox. These pipes significantly increase the heat transfer area to the surrounding water. The flues are fixed on either side on perforated, thick circular plates called tubular plaques. Dome: The dome is located at the upper middle part of the boiler, and contains a throttle valve that can be operated from the cabin by the locomotive engineer. Steam is conveyed through a dry pipe to the steam admission pipes, the admission valves and finally into the cylinders containing a piston each, where the heat energy is transformed into mechanical movement. Also from the dome, steam is conveyed into the “small dome” and then derived to many steam-powered parts of the locomotive as the brakes, the oiler, the distribution box, injectors, etc. Some of the Baldwin locomotives work with super heated steam.
THE HENSCHEL LOCOMOTIVE BOILER The Henschel locomotives of La Trochita operate with saturated steam. In their type of boiler, the steam produced goes directly to the cylinders, at a temperature that depends on its pressure. The boiler contains 109 flues, 50 mm (just under 2 inches ) in diameter each. This provides an indirect heating area of 67.84 m 2 ( 730 sq. ft .), while the direct heating area around the firebox is of 4.9 m 2 ( 53 sq. ft .). It has 2 safety valves, opening at a pressure of 12 kg/cm 2 (170 lb/sq. in.). The fuel is fed through 2 water-weight operating injectors, monitor 7½ type . THE BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Most of the Baldwin locomotives operate with saturated steam as well, with an indirect heating area of 62.94 m 2 ( 677 square feet ), and a direct heating area of 3.75 m 2 ( 40 sq. ft .). They also have 109 fifty-millimetre flues. But a few of the Baldwins were built to operate with superheated steam. Their boilers have 68 flues, 50-mm in diameter, plus another 12 with a larger diameter of 136 mm . The super heater pipes run inside these last tubes. The resulting heating area is of 3.75 m 2 ( 40 sq. ft .) at the firebox, 60.05 m 2 ( 646 sq. ft .) at the flues, and 20.00 m 2 ( 215 sq. ft .) at the super heater pipes. They also have two safety valves, opening at a pressure of 12 kg/cm 2 (170 lb/sq. in.). The fuel is fed through two water-weight operating injectors, monitor 7½ type . In this type of boiler, the steam is superheated before reaching the cylinders: the steam in the dome goes to a super heater box first, and then through the superheating pipes inside the larger tubes where flames and gases reach 1,000 º Celsius. In this way, steam is heated before it is conveyed to the cylinders, condensation is greatly reduced and power increased.
The Baldwin locomotive's power is 410 HP (saturated steam) and 431 HP (superheated). Its operating weight is 25,775 kg ( 56,834 lb ); including the tender (at full capacity) its weight reaches 47,175 kg ( 104,020 lb ). Total capacity of the tender tanks is 5 m 3 of fuel oil and 9 m 3 of water. The locomotive is 8,220 mm long ( 26 feet 11½ inches), reaching 14,830 mm ( 48 feet 8 inches ) with the tender included. The axles and rod bushings are mounted with a degree of axial play, and the four central driving wheels are wider and unflanged. This allows a greater degree of flexibility when driving on a curve in the tracks.
Manufactured in Germany by Henschel & Sohn GMBH, Cassel , in the year 1922. The guiding wheels are flanged. The driving wheels have three different types of flanges: the ones on No.1 axle have flanges similar to the ones of the guiding wheels; the ones on No.2 an No.4 axles have thinner flanges; and the ones on No.3 axle have the thinnest of all. No.2 and No.4 wheels have a 20-mm (0.8-inch) axial play that allows some flexibility when the locomotive is driving around a curve in the tracks. The axles are mounted on a steel plate frame, with the driving wheels placed outside. The rods are directly connected to these wheels, which have the counterweights imbedded in them, a design feature that clearly distinguishes the Henschel from the Baldwin . The guiding wheels have a diameter of 500 mm ( 20 inches ), and the driving wheels 800 mm ( 32 inches ). It operates with two cylinders, mounted one on each side of the frame, having a diameter of 300 to 315 mm ( 12 inches ), and a 440-mm (17-inch) stroke. Total power is 411 HP. The operating-order locomotive weighs 25,650 kg ( 56,558 lb ), reaching a total weight of 50,150 kg ( 110,580 lb ) with a full tender. The tender is mounted on a pair of two-axle bogies that have 500-mm (20-inch) wheels. Total capacity of the tender tanks is 5 m 3 of fuel oil and 9 m 3 of water.
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BALDWIN: Manufactured in Philadelphia , U.S.A. in 1922. It's a 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotive (2 guiding wheels at the engine truck, 8 driving wheels, and 2 wheels at the trailing truck). All the guiding wheels (engine and trailing trucks) are flanged, 500 mm ( 20 inches ) in diameter. The driving wheels are 800 mm in diameter ( 32 inches ), the ones on the two centre axles unflanged. The driving wheels are placed inside the frame and the rods are connected to an eccentric crank on the axle's extension, to which the counterweights are also attached. They are equipped with Walschaert distribution valves. The locomotive has two cylinders, with a diameter of 300 to 315 mm ( 12 inches ), and a 410-mm (16-inch) stroke. 
HENSCHEL: 