G Scale Model Train Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Accucraft C-25 on coal , a brief report

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
R

ripperj

· Premium Member
Joined
·
300 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have run my Accucraft C-25 on butane previously. It runs well and I had no issues with the ceramic burner producing pop-off pressure.

I had obtained a box of welsh coal and the coal grate/ ash pan and the tools awhile back. (Thanks to Kevin(RioGrandeFan) here who layed eyes on the conversion pieces in the Accucraft warehouse and gave me a heads up)

I finally got a chance to fire it up on coal this past weekend. It was pouring here and my track is still in boxes, so rollers on my deck under the awning was the only option.

The coal grate needed some tweaking (filing, a bit of hacksawing) to fit the firebox. I can’t say I’m too surprised as these are not made by robots. I got it to fit without much trouble. It’s pretty neat being able to swap from butane to coal by just popping a pin out that retains the grate or burner.

I started off with kerosene soaked Cowboy brand charcoal from tractor supply. That lit off immediately and then we started adding coal(my recent college grad son was playing fireman)

The coal fire was much hotter than a butane fire and I had the safety lifting a lot, even when running fairly fast on rollers.

Coal definitely made more of a mess than butane, but I enjoyed it , the lack of a burner howl was nice, and the coal is just fun to play with.

I’m going to modify the smoke box door hinges so that the door comes off completely. As delivered the door doesn’t open far enough to brush all the tubes.

We had fun and didn’t catch the deck on fire, so I’ll call it a success :). I look forward to an actual coal fired track run.

I failed to get a video.
Here’s a pic of my son manning the shovel:)
Image
 
#5 ·
ripperj said:
I have run my Accucraft C-25 on butane previously. It runs well and I had no issues with the ceramic burner producing pop-off pressure. I had obtained a box of welsh coal and the coal grate/ ash pan and the tools awhile back. (Thanks to Kevin(RioGrandeFan) here who layed eyes on the conversion pieces in the Accucraft warehouse and gave me a heads up) I finally got a chance to fire it up on coal this past weekend. It was pouring here and my track is still in boxes, so rollers on my deck under the awning was the only option. The coal grate needed some tweaking (filing, a bit of hacksawing) to fit the firebox. I can’t say I’m too surprised as these are not made by robots. I got it to fit without much trouble. It’s pretty neat being able to swap from butane to coal by just popping a pin out that retains the grate or burner. I started off with kerosene soaked Cowboy brand charcoal from tractor supply. That lit off immediately and then we started adding coal(my recent college grad son was playing fireman) The coal fire was much hotter than a butane fire and I had the safety lifting a lot, even when running fairly fast on rollers. Coal definitely made more of a mess than butane, but I enjoyed it , the lack of a burner howl was nice, and the coal is just fun to play with. I’m going to modify the smoke box door hinges so that the door comes off completely. As delivered the door doesn’t open far enough to brush all the tubes. We had fun and didn’t catch the deck on fire, so I’ll call it a success :). I look forward to an actual coal fired track run. I failed to get a video. Here’s a pic of my son manning the shovel:) View attachment 66504
Click to expand...
I use coconut coal, not as hot and no dirt to clean up afterward
 
#12 ·
ripperj said:
"The C-25 comes with a boiler that has wet legs"...
Click to expand...
Are the "legs" simply bent tubes stuck into the boiler - probably U-shaped, going in and out? I'm considering such a design for a simplifyed coal burner.

It's not really new, only the return is then usually quite a bit further to the front, and used in alcohol fired boilers. -The wicks extend for a longer distance, so the tubes are in contact along a longer distance of flames, than the depth of a grate for coal firing.

I really think combined gas- and coal fired boilers ought to be a lot more common than today. Coal firing adds another dimension, but is of course a bit more demanding/complicated than gasfiring.

I suppose you could also build combined coal and alcohol fired boilers as well. Alcohol burns insanely hot as well!
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#13 ·
Pauli said:
Are the "legs" simply bent tubes stuck into the boiler - probably U-shaped, going in and out? I'm considering such a design for a simplifyed coal burner.

It's not really new, only the return is then usually quite a bit further to the front, and used in alcohol fired boilers. -The wicks extend for a longer distance, so the tubes are in contact along a longer distance of flames, than the depth of a grate for coal firing.

I really think combined gas- and coal fired boilers ought to be a lot more common than today. Coal firing adds another dimension, but is of course a bit more demanding/complicated than gasfiring.

I suppose you could also build combined coal and alcohol fired boilers as well. Alcohol burns insanely hot as well!
[/QUO
Click to expand...
Pauli said:
Are the "legs" simply bent tubes stuck into the boiler - probably U-shaped, going in and out? I'm considering such a design for a simplifyed coal burner.
Click to expand...
Pauli: When I designed the C-25 boiler for Accucraft it is a full locomotive style boiler with a true firebox that has a front flue sheet, an inner wrapper stay bolted to the outer boiler shell. The bottom of the firebox water legs are closed off on the front and sides with a standard mud ring and the crown sheet is supported by crown plates. The firebox back is dry and does not have a water leg. The coal grates are attached to the ash pan as a removable unit which can be replaced with a ceramic butane burner.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
RioGrandeFan said:
Have you been running it much on coal? I have yet to convert mine, just curious on your experiences and overall thoughts. Any tender mods needed for shoveling coal?

-Kevin
Click to expand...
I haven’t run it much at all really , all my track and turnouts are still in boxes. Right now I just have a small circle of track on my deck, not ideal.
Next spring and summer I hope to get my elevated double loop built , at least enough to run on.
 
#18 ·
fkrutzke said:
Pauli: When I designed the C-25 boiler for Accucraft it is a full locomotive style boiler with a true firebox that has a front flue sheet, an inner wrapper stay bolted to the outer boiler shell. The bottom of the firebox water legs are closed off on the front and sides with a standard mud ring and the crown sheet is supported by crown plates. The firebox back is dry and does not have a water leg. The coal grates are attached to the ash pan as a removable unit which can be replaced with a ceramic butane burner.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the answer! What a treat to receive the answer from the designer himself! 😃Except for the dry back, it's a fully fledged conventional locomotive boiler then! The English boiler term "leg" I did not understand, hence my question.

Also behind my question is, I'm thinking of whether an esentially smithies type boiler could work with coal firing? My gut feeling says so... 😁 Considering that dry wall and single or two smoketube(s) boilers can work. (Aster offered such an optional boiler for one of their later models, the way I enterpreted the pictures.) The backhead would be extended and serve as a part dry firebox. Maybee also adding dry firebox sidewalls.

Finally, the "smithies"-type would actually have a boiler jacket and insulation, so not quite conventional "smithies".

- It would be few joints that need to have perfect seal. Sp redoing soldering, if necessary, wouldn't be a big thing. (It would be my first boiler, and I'm not sure what kind of equipment I will have access to. So simplicity would be nice.😅)
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#20 ·
I am in hopes that when Accucraft releases the coal C-18 I can simply convert mine over to coal. Cliff said he thinks they will be the same boiler since they also use this boiler in a alcohol burning locomotive, but he's not sure until testing is 100% complete.
Kinda frustrating for me because when ordered my C-18 I specifically asked if there would ever be a coal version and Accucraft at the time said no.
 
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
About this Discussion
21 Replies
9 Participants
Last post:
yellow_cad
G Scale Model Train Forum
posts
460K
members
32K
Since
2007
A forum community dedicated to G scale model train owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about collections, displays, models, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Live Steam General G Scale Discussions Beginner's Forum Model Making Track, Trestles, Bridges and Roadbed