This is not the only loco that received Yves' famous three coal treatment. I rebuilt a U1 for Jim Pitts last fall and Jim brought it to DH. After I gave it a second shakedown cruise under alkie, Jim and Yves performed the necessary transplant surgery to switch it over for coal operation. With the conversion complete, they proceeded to give it quite a coal workout. Yve's three coal procedure involved initial running on charcoal, followed by a period of operation on anthracite, wrapped up with a full fumigation of the DH atrium when he switched to his super-secret smoking coal. The U1 performed flawlessly under coal and aside from the mess it created to my Aster handiwork, I was quite delighted with the whole affair. I expect now that Jim will never switch it back to alkie and this engine will become the centerpiece of his coal-fired fleet!
Ross Schlabach