Q. Should water be left in the boiler when not in use?
A. No. It is better to draw out all the water and properly clean the boiler before leaving.
Q. What should be done in case a grate bar breaks and drops out of place?
A. If no other bar is at hand, it might be repaired with a heavy stick of wood.
A. By cutting the stick in such a shape as to fit the space made by the broken bar, then cover with ashes before the fire spreads over it.
A. Yes, but it will last for several hours.
This engine is also of the Side Crank, Side Gear pattern, the engine is mounted upon the side of the boiler, upon a long heater, which is securely bolted to the boiler by three brackets. It is of the Locomotive Guide pattern, and has a cross-head pump. The cylinder rests its full length upon the heater and is lagged. It has the link reverse gear and plain slide valve, Friction Clutch, Injector, Automatic Sight Feed Lubricator, Governor, Extension Front and Straight Stack. The hand steering wheel is on the opposite side from the band wheel.
The boiler is of the round bottom fire box style with double riveted seams, and has a dome in the center, and is mounted upon the wheels in the rear with a wrought iron axle which passes around underneath the boiler and is held in place by brackets attached to the side of the boiler.
The traction wheels are of the cast iron rim style, with wrought iron spokes cast in both rim and hub and mud cleats are cast on rim. The foot board is furnished with a water tank and tool box and all necessary fittings and attachments are supplied to make a complete traction engine.
[Illustration: Nichols & Shepard Traction Engine.]
Q. What harm would result from firing for a short time without the bar?
A. None to speak of to furnace or grate bars, but the quantity of air admitted to the fire box would make it exceedingly hard to keep up steam and the hole thus made would cause a great loss of fuel.
Q. What should be done if a bar in a rocker grate should fall out?
A. Take a piece of flat wrought iron and cut it to fit the bearings, this will do for some time and will not interfere with the rocking of the bars. Or, take a heavy piece of plank, covering the opening completely, and cover the plank carefully with ashes, surrounding it on all sides to protect it as much as possible from the fire.