How easy is it to operate a steam loco?
There is a simple routine to preparing a loco for operation on ROUNDHOUSE models. • Fill the boiler with the correct amount of water. This is done through a removable plug on the boiler and a syringe is supplied to make the task easy. • Fill the gas tank with butane gas. • Light the burner by holding a flame over the chimney whilst slowly opening the gas regulator. • Lubricate the loco while you wait for the steam pressure to rise. A device called a displacement lubricator passes a special type of oil to the internal workings of the cylinders and is filled up before a run. All the external moving parts need a squirt round with conventional oil from an oil can. • After five or six minutes working pressure is reached and you are ready to go so put the loco into gear (move the reversing lever for either forward or reverse) and open the regulator. The loco will run for around 30 minutes on one boiler filling and during that time, you have full control over starting, stopping, speed, direct
