Hi,
For all practical purposes, I left PA when I granulated from grad school at
PSU in 1960. Have only been back there for funerals, and the only one left
now is mine.
THEREFORE, I really do not have any idea of where or how to get PA coal. I do
know that most live steamers in the area do not use it! My recollection is
that hard coal is difficult to ignite and difficult to keep burning i.e. the
Reading RR work on the Wooten system.
I personally have never fired a Ga 1 live steamer with coal. Maybe I'm naive
about this, but wouldn't charcoal and a very little amount of roofing or road
tar be easier to use. Quick starting briquettes were impregnated with wax to
make them easy to ignite. If they were impregnated with a little tar, they
would give the smell and color of real coal, and would be easy to ignite and
easy to procure. So what am I missing here? Why has charcoal not been used in
Ga. 1? And don't say it is because the briquettes won't fit thru the fire
door!
Keep your steam up, using the fuel of your choice!
Walt and Lunk
